House passes bill that would raise retirement age for pilots to 67

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: NBC News

WASHINGTON — The House voted Thursday to pass legislation that would reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration, the agency that oversees commercial airlines and airports, for the next five years.

Lawmakers approved the bill, called the Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act, which included a provision to raise the retirement age for pilots from 65 to 67 amid a major pilot shortage, in a 351-69 vote.

The effort to raise the retirement age was met with some opposition within the chamber from lawmakers who thought the move could endanger pilot standards and passenger safety. But the Rules Committee blocked an amendment that would have stopped the change.

America has always been the gold standard in aviation, and this bill ensures that we remain the world leader," House Transportation Committee Chairman Sam Graves, R-Mo., said in a statement. Several other amendments were considered to the bill, including one authored by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., and Rep. Mary Miller, R-Ill., that would force airlines to rehire all pilots who were fired for refusing to be vaccinated. The chamber overwhelmingly rejected that amendment.


Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/house-passes-bill-raise-retirement-age-pilots-67-rcna95349

[getagrip_already]

1. At 65 myself, I don't agree with this as a blanket rule....

Not every 65 year old is the same, and not every 65 year old should continue to fly a plane, or pilot a ship or perform surgery.

Sorry folks, but there are some jobs where your body and mind just won't cash the checks you think you can write.

Some certainly can, so thats why I say not as a banket rule. But startig at 60, there should be rigorous performance testing to requalify.

Screw your feelings.

[cos dem]

3. Pilots already have to undergo regular medical evaluation

For airline pilots, it’s every 6 months. A blanket retirement at 60 was always dumb.

[oldsoftie]

7. If thats the case I'm all for it. 60 is the new 40

And 9pm is the new midnight.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

16. Airline pilots also go through constant continuous training and evaluation/check-rides

That includes simulator training handling all kinds of emergencies while being evaluated.

I’m ok with this. As long as they keep two pilots in the cockpit.

[getagrip_already]

11. Have you taken one?

I have. Very strict. Not. Oh, it will pick up gross physical issues, but not subtle motor or cognitive issues.

I just think people responsible for hundreds of lives should be stress tested under nasa like worst case scenarios. Not evaluated to whether they can carry a 50 pound weight 50 feet.

[Happy Hoosier]

28. Do yuou honestly think that every 65 year old pilot should be forced to retire?

Sorry, that's weird.

No one is saying EVERY 65 year old pilot is fit to fly, but many are. Why would we insist that those who are fit to fly not be able to do so simply becuase they reached a specified age? Shouldn't they simply be evaluated?

And airliners have two pilots for a reason, right?

And yes, I've worked in aviation for over 30 years.

[getagrip_already]

29. retire completely? Or retire from primary flight duties?

Different question. Yes, I think every 65 year old should probably stop being the primary pilot on passenger jet service flights.

That isn't the same as retiring. they can certainly do staff jobs, or trainiing, or sit in a non-pilot seat, or do something else..

Is it a blow to your ego? I don't really care. Sorry.

Like it or not, you are not as sharp as you were when you were 50. You reaction time is way off, and your cognitive spped and accuracy is slipping. Andthat is for every 65 year old. In most cases, it doesnt matter. Nobody would ever notice. Until you have to make 5 critical decisions in 10 seconds.

So yeah, you can keep flying your cesna, or charter your 6 seater, but no, you shouldn't be flying jets for commercial airlines.

The ugly fact s a lot of marginal pilots are going to hang on until they are forced out. They will cover up medical conditions, get fake certifications, and fake their way back into service. It's done today. Now they will be doing it for 2 more years.

But even without that, it would still be a good idea to limit the age of pilots, ships captains, and other individuals who potentially have to make rapid decisions affecting hundreds of lives.

[Happy Hoosier]

32. Seems pretty ageist.

It''s not about ego.

I have no problem with stringent requirements for pilot qualifications after 65. But I've worked with shitty pilots who were 40, and fantastic pilots who were 70. I knew one 35 year old ATP who attmpted to Essential Tremor Skills do degrade with age, but when that happens is different for different people. 65 for some folks is old. For others it's not. It makes zero sense to pick a relatively low age like that and make a blanket statement that requires mandatory requirement.

C'mon... surely you've seen 40 year olds that came in last at flight school....

[getagrip_already]

33. not ageist, just realistic...

We all age, some faster than others, but we all do.

It's sad. It's depressing. It's infuriating. But, it's life.

We aren't guarenteed a career that lasts forever. At some point you have to reinvent yourself and do something differently. It's not weakness. It's not discrimination.

If there were a magic green light that a person could stand in front of before entering a cockpit that would tell us they were fully capable of performing their duties under any possible emergency, I would be fine with no age limit whatsoever. But that light doesn't exist, and if it did I'm sure pilots would oppose it for the same reason they oppose having to take a breathalyzer before entering a cockpit before a flight.

And as I often tell my kids: "Do you know what they call the student who came in last in their class at medcal school? Doctor"

[PortTack]

5. I don't agree either. The retirement age used to be 62

Had a good friend that flew in Vietnam, then flew for different airlines afterwards. He really wanted to continue beyond the age of 62, but knew it was for the best.

[jimfields33]

10. I'm cool with this along with a physical.

62 years old is too young for anybody to retire. It’s possible that a person could have 30 years in retirement. That’s too much. 67 years old seems very reasonable especially since that’s Gen X retirement age now. The oldest Gen X is 58 so it’s good to begin moving things to match Social Security. The next thing is those two years of Medicare that X’ers will have to pay out of paychecks until social security kicks in at 67. These situations need to be looked at.

[spooky3]

6. The article isn't clear but the change is to MANDATORY retirement age.

Pilots can retire earlier.

https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/us-house-passes-bill-allowing-older-pilots-other-aviation-reforms-2023-07-20/#:~:text=WASHINGTON%2C%20July%2020%20(Reuters)

There is a specific exception for pilots in the Age Discrimination Act, which generally outlaws mandatory retirement.

[ananda]

2. It goes to the Senate next.

nt

[BumRushDaShow]

8. Yup

If I had added that, that would have pretty much been the entire article.

[ananda]

18. LOL

[Oopsie Daisy]

4. I remember the time I was on an American Eagle flight and the pilot looked like he was 19 years old.

I was frightened and nervous but I had a funeral that I needed to attend. I happy to report that the flight was uneventful.

[getagrip_already]

30. You know, when I get a young dentist or doctor, I am very happy......

I KNOW they have just gotten trained on the newest and best technology. They know the latest protocols and procedures. They know the right way to do things. They do it right and if I ask them a question, they know the answer without google and without getting defensive.

The older ones, they are too set in their ways, too defensive, and haven't been to any real training in decades. They are arrogant and more into the dollars than the medicine.

I'll take fresh and trained any day.

[Oopsie Daisy]

35. I take your point. But experience counts too. There's definitely a happy-middle, though.

There's a reason that new drivers have more car accidents and higher auto insurance rates: lack of experience and maturity.

[getagrip_already]

36. yeah, I guess if I see my dentist using her cellphone while doing a procedure......

I wonder how many of "today's" young driver accidents are distracted driving accidents versus when I was a kid and it was mostly hotrodding and not being able to drive a standard transmission, or a rear wheel drive car in the snow, or some other issue where skill and experience really was an issue.

Cars today really stop a lot of accidents with antilock brakes, collision avoidance systems, antiroll transmissions, all around parking cameras, etc.

Cell phones on the other hand...... Oh well, you win a few, you lose a few.

And yes, experience does matter. There is no replacement for "yes, it looks like that but I've seen this a dozen times and it's probably x"..... But not knowing what drugs to prescribe, or what current diagnostic protocols are, or even is that even a disease?

[jimfields33]

13. Would you want to be forced out of work over some age?

Many would like to continue to add to 401K and other investments or maybe just enjoy flying. Arbitrary rules are not democratic.

[spooky3]

25. +1

[PlutosHeart]

12. And they will stop at which jobs?

No just no.

Sets a very bad precedent. Are people that stupid that they cannot see this?

[jimfields33]

14. How many jobs have age discrimination?

Not even the military has it. They go by years of service and promotions.

[LiberalFighter]

15. Who is the GOP trying to kill?

[ananda]

19. Everyone, with them as collateral damage.

nt

[former9thward]

22. Democrats voted for the bill 164-38.

https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2023364

[former9thward]

21. Democrats voted for the bill 164-38.

https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2023364

[spooky3]

24. This is a change in MANDATORY retirement age. It is good for

Employees to have a choice not to be forced out of work if they want to continue and are capable of doing the work.

[beaglelover]

17. This is good news. It should help with our pilot shortage.

[ArkansasDemocrat1]

20. The pilots on my last flight must have been ex-military

No smooth glide as the wings slowly lose lift as the nose rises and then a chirp from the undercarriage on landing, not for Southwest Airlines, no Sir! He slammed that 737 onto the runway like he was trying to hook the #3 wire. Then the autobrakes, spoilers and thrust reversers kicked in all together. Then a different pilot and plane did it all again landing at my destination. SWA must recruit retiring carrier pilots.

[spooky3]

26. Ageism in airlines

https://www.nbcnews.com/think/amp/rcna34831

[Mark.b2]

27. Good. We need more pilots...

Every flight I take is packed, and there are fewer flights. Lack of pilots is part of the problem. Twice this summer I missed connections at DFW coming home and there were no seats on any flights until late the next day to my home airport. AA has about eight flights a day from DFW to here. It used to be 10 or 11.

[pfitz59]

31. Maybe I should 'un-retire'

I've got a few more landings left.

[zanana1]

34. Slip sliding to raise general retirement age.

[iemanja]

37. That's already been done

Full Social Security benefits don't start until age 67, and then they rise again at 70.