Which of the following do you think is true? Why do the old pilots keep on flying? Is it because they:
a) have no life outside of flying
b) are tighter than a tight thing
c) can't bear to dip into the super and want to keep earning the big bucks
d) are on wife number three and have lost it all already...twice
e) all of the above
Do you really expect them to move on over into retirement just to save the jobs of young guns at the bottom of the list? Come on. When we're in their position, we'll be exactly the same. We'll be thinking about our own interests and retire when and where it suits us. When you're at the top of the list, you're making the biggest bucks. That's why they hang around, plain and simple.
I don't believe there are any old pilots in history who retired principally because they felt the need to move over and let someone else have a go. Sad, but true. The world is all about looking after number one. The old pilots do it, and so will we. Admit it.
That said, who am I kidding? I want them to go too so we can all move up the list and make more money.