Originally Posted by
drpixie
Rings true with what I see in aero-medical. I see any number of recently retired airline captains who like the idea of a little light aero-medical flying to keep their hand in! (And it's always their "passion" - a turn-off word if ever.)
It’s funny how everyone seems to have lots of stories of all these “retired airline pilots” who suddenly decide to take up strenuous single pilot GA careers on retirement en masse. I’ve known plenty of retired airline pilots, every single one of them upon retirement from their airline retires from full time work full stop. A few take up something like casual instructing or scenic flights but a new career in a demanding single pilots job generally aimed at younger people??
If those stories are true however it may be more of a case of age more than anything else. Some airline pilots around retirement age have had difficulty transitioning from one type of airliner to another, as evidenced by the article below. I think maybe a more viable target for a single pilot aerial work job would be one in their 30s or 40s who is well motivated and enthusiastic. Not withstanding the older pilots who have the same level of drive and adaptability as well:
Air New Zealand 'shafted' elderly pilots over Airbus training