Surely anyone who joined the game would have known there's going to be a gap between retiring and being eligible for a state pension, if - that is - the country they live in hands out a meaningful state pension at all.
Yes, the age for eligibility has been rising all over Europe, but so has the retirement age for pilots. 55, at one time, then 60, now 65.
Thus, one could possibly argue that anyone who failed to make plans for the gap years only has himself to blame. Perhaps the answer is NOT to continue flying until you're at an age where you are, for all intents and purposes, unemployable in another field. Perhaps time could have been used to learn a new trick or two, maybe create a small business, and drop out early while there is still a chance to have a go at something else, something without a mandatory retirement age. If the flying bug is still there, join an aeroclub and muck about in a bugsmasher or, even better, a glider.
Last edited by SMT Member; 2nd Nov 2013 at 17:24.