I have not posted here for a long time but still read the forum occasionally.
This subject has prompted me to give my thoughts on this subject so here goes.
First of all there is no across the board answer to the " to old to fly safely " question, it varies from person to person.
We do however have means by which to measure both physical health and also a pilots ability to physically handle an aircraft which is a flight test that is structured and judged by using a test sheet with quality of performance recorded for each maneuver or item.
The are just to many physiological issues involved in when one should quit that we each must examine our own mental attitude with regard to when we should quit.......in other words when doubt enters the equation that is the time to put everything on the table and examine what has changed.
My decision to retire from commercial aviation just happened by accident....I was getting my regular pilots license medical when the conversation got around to me telling the doctor that I was practicing for unlimited aerobatics contests........well it did not take long for the doctor to ask me what G loads I was pulling and when I told him he said not any more because you are getting to the age where your body just may not stand such treatment....
.........anyhow that was the moment I decided to retire because I made a deal with the doctor that I would tell the people I was flying for that I had to retire at the end of the airshow season.
It turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made because I finally found a new life at home where I could live like a normal human being and not have to live in hotels all over the planet.
For two years I never even thought of flying until a friend talked me into flying his company airplane and there I was back to " having " to fly at someone else s wishes...so after two years of that I told my friend that due to having no valid medical I could not fly for him anymore...I was telling the truth because I just did not get a medical which of course invalidated my license.
When I retired from commercial flying the first time I was 70 and the second time I was 76.
But it does not stop there.....I am 78 now and about to renew my pilot medical because I am about to start a new flight training program for young pilots who want to fly for a living.
So age wise I am quite confident that I am safe as I had a medical done on my own but not for Transport Canada and had every test that I could get done including an ultrasound when all the tests were finished all they could find was I was low on vitamin D ...and that is not really all that shocking as it was winter time and it was to cold to go out in the sun.
So to sum this up.
There is no one size fits all to determine at what age one should quit flying, what one must do is use common sense get real in depth physical exams and then determine if you really want to fly.
Chuck Ellsworth.