Hypothetical question

[Dan-B]

At what age would you regard as being 'too old' to attempt to get a multi engine rating?

Assuming you currently have less than 100 hours total time?

do the airlines retire pilots at 60 (ish) for any specific reason

Perhaps the question should be re-phrased to read, When would you consider giving up flying a hot, high performance twin?

Dan

[IO540]

The answer must depend on where you are now in terms of licenses/ratings.

What you describe will be of little use without an IR, and the ground school for the JAA IR will take you anything up to 2 years if you are say 50 and have a busy life. Or never, if you have a busy enough life :O

If you are 50, good technical brain, already been flying for a few years on the IMC Rating, and busy, the FAA IR ground school is probably 6 months.

Obviously it varies. If you are a recent Cambridge PhD in Pure Maths then it will be easier :O

I write this as a nearly 50, busy, pilot of a high perf piston single.

[turniphead]

No age barrier to PPL flying.
Keep the brain in gear and pass the medical and you can go on and on and on.

Current high timer is PPL/IR Multi and flies 100hrs per year in AC68 heavy piston twin and is 2 months shy of his 90th birthday.
Beat that!

[Dan-B]

It's not me, so you can be as brutal as you like, but the individual in question is in his 70's

[Confabulous]

Surely if he's got a medical and sufficient leg strength to hold it straight with asymmetric thrust, it shouldn't be a problem?

[Pitts2112]

Well, I know a gent at my old flying club who, for his 80th birthday, treated himself to a trip to Florida to get his multi rating. Don't know how long ago that was (at least three years) and I believe he's still flying.

Retirement age of 60 is probably more a political thing than medical, but it's also a hotly contested issue on which I wouldn't want to even enter a discussion.

Point is, if it's for fun and the brain/body is up for it, go for it regardless of age. What's age got to do with it?!?!?

Pitts2112

[Whirlybird]

People age at very different rates, just as they differ a lot in other things. Ann Welch, who'd been flying all her life, gave up flying in her mid-70s as she didn't feel safe any more. A chap in his 70s at my flying club recently did the same. Some people can go on into their 80s and 90s, some can't.

I hope by the time I get to that kind of age I know myself well enough to know if and when I should give up flying, or give up trying new things in aviation - and to listen and heed the signs! I think that's the key.

Age has got something to do with it, but you can't generalise.

[Wrong Stuff]

It seems to be widely accepted in the medical profession that the younger you act and the more you continue to challenge yourself mentally, the "younger" and more able you remain. Certainly, I observed in my grandparents that as soon as they "gracefully accepted" old age they rapidly went downhill. Fortunately both my parents observed the same and they continue to remain as active as possible.

If my Dad (80-something now) was at all interested in regaining the flying licence he held back in the 40's I'd be very willing to help him out with a big proportion of the cost, even if he never intended (or perhaps was medically able) to fly solo. It's much cheaper and much better value than spending the money on an old people's home.

[Lister Noble]

I'm 62 years young and have raceed cars for a hobby over the last 9 years,last weekend I did my best time ever .
I had a go at hydroplane racing in the summer,lying prone in a small boat at 55 mph very close to the water,never done it before and came 5 and 6th out of 8 in a heavy practice boat.
The body does get a bit less resilient and it took me about a month after the racing to recover from all the bruising.
I'm learning to fly and have done around 12 hours but not solo yet although managing reasonable landings so hope to do so soon.
The point of all this is not particularly about me but how young we feel mentally,I knew some sad old bods when I was in my twenties and they were the same age as me,ie in their twenties!
Lister:D

[Piltdown Man]

The only age requirement is have an age that keeps increasing. And commercial pilots don't stop at 60 due lack of ability, physical strength or loss of marbles, it's just the law (at the moment!) and it only applies to holding a command on "heavies".

Enjoy it!