Ah, Luvverboy.....you do underestimate old age and treachery! Some of these dinosaurs you are talking about have more time peeing out of a helicopter than you youngun's have flying in them.
Age takes a toll for sure, but it also allows for experience....something the young do not have by mere lack of exposure. The happy compromise might be to have a young fire breathing stud on the dumb end of the line....and the old dog up above that way the best attributes of both can be used.
You can talk about all the qualifications you have chalked up....kind of like merit badges for scouts....I suggest those badges one has pinned to the front of the tunic carry a bit more weight.
The real shame in life is that youth is wasted on the young.