Age 60 Mandatory Retirement

[slgrossman]

My company, a commercial operator in the U.S. under 14 CFR Part 135 just posted a job opening which, among other things, stated:

"Selection of pilots will be made under the new (customer name) contract requirements that a pilot upon reaching age 60 shall not be permitted to act as a pilot in an aircraft operated for (customer name) by the Company, except under certain conditions as a member of a multi-pilot crew."

It looks to me like a thinly-veiled attempt to get a foot in the door. Once the precedent is set I'm afraid most, if not all, of our other customers will follow suit. If this is allowed to stand I think it will be the first domino which will eventually lead to imposition of an age 60 mandatory retirement rule on all air taxi and commercial operators (ATCO) in this country.

Of course, the major airlines (which operate under Part 121) already impose retirement at age 60, however, their pilots are assisted by pension and medical plans to make the transition. Most ATCOs have no such provision for their employees. A serious illness could result in financial ruin for many who will be caught without a safety net.

-Stan-

[autoranger]

I think it is all very ageist! If you hold a valid class of medical over the age of 60 in today's modern age where people live well into their centurion years, why should you not operate an aircraft as PIC if you are fit and well - we pay enough on a very regular basis to make sure that we are not going to croak at the controls!

Do you smoke?

Practise autorotation go!:cool: :cool: :cool:

[Rotor Driver]

I would hope that this advert was refering to an overseas post. If not, be careful. Sounds like the end user might be trying to use your firm to impose restrictions that their own HR department wouldn't allow.

[SASless]

I would think age discrimination laws would take care of that issue for USA companies. The law has been modified to include USA based operations working outside the USA.

As long as the FAA under part 135 sets no age limit....any action such as that based purely upon age would be illegal. Now that big airlines like Delta and others are looking at dumping their Pilot Pension programs, look for more attacks upon the age 60 rule for Airline Pilots.

[Cyclic Hotline]

I look forward to reading the details of the lawsuit.

§ 623. Prohibition of age discrimination
(http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode29/usc_sec_29_00000623----000-.html)

[Nigerian Expat Outlaw]

Shame. There's a 64 years 11 month old helicopter pilot flying in Nigeria and I know of at least one other who went to 65 before being forced to retire. I hear there's a 68 year old with CHC in Sudan.

Maybe it's because there just aren't the pilots or because the military "trickle" has dried up, or because nobody trains anymore, but the average age of the working pilot appears to be rising sharply.

The crunch will come. It's too late; even if companies really pulled their collective (excuse the pun) fingers out and started training in earnest, there is going to be a serious supply and demand problem.

NEO

[SASless]

Stan,

For years, Bristow has run a Geriatric Flight at Shell in Nigeria. Some of the guys there must have pulled chocks for Wilbur Wright thus it cannot be Shell that is setting that arbitrary age limit.

Mobil on the other hand at Eket played the age card and Bristow dumped a bunch of guys but then had to go out and rehire them when they could not man the operation.

[SASless]

Stan,

Hit this web site....it poses some very interesting questions about the age 60 rules and how ICAO policies might affect it within the United States, France, and Italy.

http://www.flypast60.com/

It also raises the issue in Canada where Air Canada sister company regional pilots can fly till 65 but Air Canada international pilots must retire at age 60.

Same license and medical but different age restrictions it would appear.

[Cyclic Hotline]

An acquaintance of mine was shooting a few autos in his Enstrom in preparation for his 135 check ride the following day. Unfortunately he misjudged one and bent the machine.

When the FAA came to investigate he told them that it was a doubly bad day, as it had occurred on his 79th birthday!

He is still flying today, but he gave up the 135 part and only flies for fun nowadays.