Well…….Master Jumbo. Now that the moderators have moved your post to a more appropriate forum and admonished you with red ink, let me offer what I hope will be a qualified reply. Although I doubt we worked for the same company, I have also been forced to retire (although I have been threatening it for years) 2 years shy of my “life clock” turning Black and being sent for renewal on “Carrousel!” Truth be told the thought of a life of 24/7 with my wife does lend being chased by “Sandmen” a certain appeal……but I digress.
Let me correct you on a “point of order” when pilots of my generation came into flying 40 odd years ago, we were usually required to hang up our uniforms at age 55. The prospect of continuing on to 60 came much later, and indeed 65 later still. Nevertheless, it did enable us to enthral our colleagues for an additional decade in some cases, even when they were so tired their obvious enthusiasm had to fight through their yawns and heavy eyelids.
Now in that 40 years I managed to to become father to 7 children (just like captain Von trapp from the sound of music) although in all honesty mine didn’t seem to show me as much respect as his did, and they weren’t very accomplished singers either. That was a shame because they were bloody expensive to nurture! One of them even became an airline pilot, so I do feel as if I have played my part in giving back to the next generation of sky Gods! Indeed, once they all become tax payers I feel my costs to society will be fully covered and possibly a few others as well?
Now I know you will regard this as selfish, but I was hoping that a 25,000 hour career would culminate with a water cannon salute as all of my crews gathered for a tearful send off, all followed by magnums of quality champagne quaffed in celebration of a happy but poignant moment of reflection. Sadly that wasn’t to be, and even more sadly I watched as so many friends and colleagues had their lives totally upended by the events of the last two years. Worse still, I saw friends and colleagues struck down my serious illnesses that completely changed their lives and had nothing to do with viruses or seniority lists or anything else so glib. The sobering effect of that served to help me stop feeling quite so sorry for my own petty predicaments.
Now I am trying hard to properly understand what your complaint actually is? I rather got the impression that you seemed to be suggesting an “Eskimo solution” (Yes I know it’s Inuit or Yult these days, but I’m old and can get away with a certain degree of this now.) Whereby we unselfishly plonk our fat derrières on an ice flow only to be cast adrift by our younger tribe members. However, I’m afraid my young Jedi, that ain’t going to happen! I (perhaps erroneously) see a future of Champagne and Lobster (is that being Shellfish?) and that meant working every year I could, even if as Mr Heston might have said, it meant “prising this sidestick out of my cold dead hand!”
If my son had suggested that I unselfishly set aside my career in order to prevent the odd “bump in the road” on his, I would like to think that I would have sat him on my knee (although he is far to heavy and I think Osteoporosis has been undiagnosed in that same knee for far too long) and sang him some sort of Johnny Cash song about all the vast sums of money I have invested in him and his siblings over the years. Sadly, I am not much of a singer either (as many alcohol fuelled crew Karaoke attendees can attest to,) and when it comes to “Selfish” well…….,You better believe it! And don’t worry about my “conscience” keeping me awake at night either. It will have an overactive bladder and duvet snatching spouse to battle with for that honour!
Anyway….I may be maligning you slightly here as it is not entirely clear what the focus of your ire actually is? You suggest that your main point is that these Crusties “left without a word.” Well what did you want them to say…..”Goodbye?” If they are anything like me they are probably still waiting for you to arrange the leaving party to properly see them off before the ice flow is finally cast adrift by the sobbing hordes.
If you want them to pull up a soapbox and tell the world how awful flying has become……..Keep wanting! It wasn’t awful. I’ve had the fantastically good fortune to meet and fly with a dizzying array of absolutely wonderful people over the last 45 years. Indeed that’s another reason why I wouldn’t want it to end. However, if someone were to suggest that “Selfish” isn’t an attribute to be found in the universal group collective, I would laugh loudly!