As an American and retired airline type, I'd like to address some of the comments on age and flying. Age or hours has no real world bearing on competence in my experience. As an ex-chief pilot/check airman and line pilot with experience worldwide with five airlines, I have seen competency demonstrated regardless of age/experience.
In my mind, this entire age argument boils down to individual freedom and desire to work/fly without regard to individual or collective motive. The basic criteria is safety and legality. Since a set age can't determine competency, competency should be determined on an individual basis, which is what we have prior to the required retirement age...hence, the system of training, checkrides and physicals may not presently work pefectly, but it does work. To impose a particular age limit based solely on competence is not logical, because it can be demonstrated the two are not always directly related. An age limit is only part of the competency equation. Experience (professional track record), individual merit and a person's physical profile must also be considered.
For those who say old guys are a pain to fly so they should receive the old guy's pay...I can acknowledge that, but I can also relate my experiences with young guys who are lazy and only look forward to the upcoming destination in order to chase the easy, lovely du jour. They could care less about the means to the pleasurable end, i.e. competence and attitude cuts both ways.
Needy, greedy, passion/love of the game and being tired of the "grind" are all motivating factors in one's individual decision concerning when to end the flying career. Is a younger pilot's need or greed anymore important than an older pilot's? Redistribution of wealth, perhaps?
The younger one's will eventually take the same position many of the older one's have now. Over the years I've heard a few young guys say they don't want to work past 50 or 55...but when the time comes...they very rarely adhere to their earlier stated philosophy...due mostly to need or greed. The wheel isn't going to get reinvented, and neither will the conflicting, agenda driven opinions of pilots on either side of the age aisle.
FWIW, I am 66, still flying a multi-engine turbine aircraft, have an FAA 1st class physical, am the company Check Pilot, take an annual simulator check and an inhouse, 6 month recurrent training/check and I fly my own 185 in bush and mountain environments. I also remain involved in the profession via aviation forums and publications...and yes, I do it for love of the game...and the money ain't bad either.
Press on.
