Whilst there are undoubtedly those who become doddering old fogeys at the age of 55, many people these days are staying fitter, healthier and mentally younger than their predecessors in the 1950s and 1960s. My late uncle, at the age of 99 was not only still driving his car, but he also serviced it himself - in over 80 years of driving he never had an accident. There are many of us like that in aviation nowadays (not 99 year old pilots who service there own aircraft, he hastens to add!!). IMHO, if a pilot is able to pass the medical and the proficiency checks required for his/her licence, there is no good reason to stop him/her flying until at least 65. Aviation legislation (and ICAO) also need to keep up with the times and recognise that people in general are living longer, healthier lives.
SCD, you must also recognise that not old all airline pilots are highly paid Jumbo drivers. There are many of us flying helicopters, or flying as bush pilots in third world countries who earn very mediocre salaries who could not possible afford to retire at 50 or 55. We have one 65 year old pilot in my company who still flies a DHC6 in the bush for 6 or 7 hours a day and is very fit and sharp.
Surely, it's just the old 'horses for courses' thing. There are those who want to retire early and those who don't. There are those who are old at 50 and those who are young at 70 and the new proposals just seem to take these things into account (though it being the EU, one is never quite sure
