HeliComparator
BALPA is not trying to stop you flying at age 60, what it is trying to do is to improve safety in the industry (the onshore branch of which could be said to have a relatively poor record of late) by encouraging operations to switch to 2 pilot (safer and creates more jobs), and by recognising that, despite all the age discrimination legislation you can muster, the probability of sudden incapacitation does unfortunately increase as one gets older.
Surely that would be a good case for the CAA to allow Police observers/paramedics etc to be classed as 'crew' and not
just Passengers! By doing so, the Police Observer/Paramedic could be officially trained to fly the aircraft to a level proficient enough to land the aircraft in the case of this sudden incapacitation. As opposed to a fully trained and qualified pilot becoming, in effect, a camera operator.
They would be also be
entitled to wear a 'half wing' which I notice some units allow their observers to wear anyway, when all they really fly is an overtime sheet from folder to in tray!
This would be the bean counters ideal, as the additional cost of having to pay for a 2 pilot system would simply not apply, as the trained observer would perhaps only need to be paid a little more to cover insurance premiums and a sweetener to cover for no more overtime allowances, because now they would officially be
crew and duty hours would apply.
Wouldn't 2 pilot police ops be a bit OTT ?