flyboyike
flyboyike wrote:
S'pose so...just sad to see people end up in morgues trying to suck out that extra penny or two.
I don't think the statistics will bear that out. In the UK BALPA magazine 'The Log' there was an article, IIRC, that mentioned that airline pilots, on average, lived longer than the general population. I remember that on a thread recently about a pilot who died during a flight you made some highly obnoxious remarks to the effect that he should have already retired.
As pilots we operate under a well defined set of rules, EASA, FAA etc. If these regulations allow a pilot to work to a set age then he/she can work to that age subject to competency and medical checks. Your views do not, thank heavens, come into it.
Where there is a gap between the maximum age of employment and the state pension age then as pilots, who are used to planning ahead, we should make provision for those years without the state pension.
I will not pass judgement on anyone's desire to continue for as long as they can and I would ask they do not judge me. I'm not into big cars and don't have a big house but I did start a family on the late side so early retirement may simply be unaffordable. Other pilots may/will have other circumstances that preclude calling it a day early.
BGQ
You raised some interesting points. As you say it should be based on a scientific analysis of when a pilot's competence, or lack thereof, should decide the retirement age.