On the other hand there is data in professions such as medicine that experience is the most important determinator of outcome, which for flying equates to safety.
I’ve heard similar nuggets to this many, many times before.
I can’t speak for medicine, but for flying, what a load of bolony.
Anyone with more than 15 minutes in this industry will tell you. The number of hours in your logbook is absolutely no determinant whatever of competence! Yet on the flip side, certainly I’m not aware of any pilot claiming to be better in their early 60s than they were in their early 50s! Sadly, and inevitably, we go downhill as we age. Any reduction in our mental capacity is seriously frowned upon. Just look at the minuscule blood alcohol limit proscribed for pilots!
I would suggest, the most important determinant of safety in flying is a combination of basic abilities (which inevitably reduce as we age!) combined with quality training.
In any case, there are perfectly acceptable justifications in law for stipulating a retirement age for pilots. Only one of which is preservation of the dignity of older pilots.
Congratulations to the CAA for upholding the law.