Skol, in my casual observation, admittedly only a relatively small group averaging about 200 pilots and by no means scientific, there have been noticeably more "sudden" licence losses in the under 50 age group than there have been in the over 50 age group. The over 50 group has had several instances of cancers, but not much else.
The under 50s had 3 fatal heart attacks, a quad bypass, a cancer, 2 diabeties, and a couple of miscellaneous (eg psychological, and neurological). I exclude loss of licence/life due to motor accidents.
My rather unscientific conclusion was that by the time you are 50 you have survived to a point where gradual decline is more likely to take you out than a sudden event.
As someone else said, this discussion is not really about age and ability but promotion/dollars and the "right" to rapid progress to left seat.
I am wondering whether corporations can now expect pressure on CEOs to move out, because many of the upwardly mobile execs are finding their upward progress is too slow?
