Hey guys and girls,
just doing some research on world trends towards retirement age of flight crew(cockpit and cabin crew).
from what I understand regulatory authorities around the world differ in mandatory retirement ages as well as differences with alot of major carriers.
the ages seem to be between 55 and 65 for major carriers with some having no retirement age as long as you can pass the medical every 6 to 12 months.
anyone having any information from an airline,regulator or medical point of view would be greatly appreciated
cheers
maxx(in oz)
In British Airways Mainline the retirement age is 55 but in the regions it is still 65 (Citiexpress is effectively a different company as far as T&Cs go).Because France will not allow over 60s to fly in their airspace all the older guys can't fly south.
MAXX - use 'search' - I posted a link to the CAA (UK) summary of countries/restrictions recently
downwind
12th Aug 2002, 15:01
Is this sort of flying ok with regards to the aviation medical authoritys around the world?
And does this sort of older age pilot effect the broader aviation medicine scenario?
What medical implications can occur with the over 60 aged pilot?
Do the Airlines around the World like, or approve this older age pilot?:)
BlueEagle
13th Aug 2002, 00:49
Downwind - Many pilots fly over the age of sixty, some commercially some privately.
Different aviation authorites, (CAA(UK) and FAA(USA) for example), have, at the moment, different age limits for professional pilots. In the USA a pilot is required to retire on reaching the age of sixty, in the UK a pilot can continue beyond sixty and the long term plan is to standardise worldwide on a retirement age nearer to sixty five than sixty. The main opposition comes from the activists in pilot unions who want to dump the most senior pilots and gain themselves earlier promotion to the higher salary levels. A search of the PPRuNe archives will show that this subject has been debated, at length, several times previously.
Whether a person is capable of flying professionally is decided by two medicals per year, two competency checks, (normally in a simulator for larger aircraft), per year, a line flying competency check once a year and an Instrument Rating renewal once a year. This routine applies, with some variations for differnt aviation authorities, to all professional pilots regardless of age.
In general companies world wide welcome the possibility of pilots flying beyond the age of sixty, as I mentioned, the main opposition comes from the younger elements of the pilot workforce.
Various medical bodies have done studies on pilots aged over sixty and there is no evidence to suggest that pilots over sixty are more likely to be involved in an accident or suffer a debilitating medical condition than pilots under sixty, however, in the USA and France in particular the pilot unions have used this argument to persuade their respective authorities and politicians that the retirement age should be sixty. There are several court actions underway in the USA and it is widely thought that, eventually, the FAA will agree to professional pilots flying beyond the age of sixty.
A few airlines have a retirement age of fifty five years but this is purely a local agreement and is more to do with company policy and pension schemes than any health or competency issues.
As I mentioned above, the PPRuNe archives to contain a lot of previous posts on this subject.
BlueEagle - Moderator.