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FAA
Bumps Airline Pilot Retirement
Age
Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA)
Administrator Marion Blakey
announced that the FAA will
propose raising the mandatory
retirement age for U.S.
commercial pilots from 60 to 65.
Speaking before pilots and
aviation experts at the National
Press Club on January 30th,
Blakey said that the agency
plans to propose adopting the
new International Civil Aviation
Organization (ICAO) standard
that allows one pilot to be up
to age 65 provided the other
pilot is under age 60. No pilots
will be grandfathered, and the
new Age 65 Rule will not apply
to any pilot who turns 60 before
it officially is enacted. Blakey
explained the logistics of
handling individual waiver
applications from affected
pilots and their employer
airlines would be too
cumbersome. The agency has
received about 180 requests in
just the past few days, she
said.
The
Administrator acknowledged that
forcing US commercial airline
pilots to retire at 60 is
?becoming increasingly more
difficult to defend. There's a
heck of a lot of experience
behind those captain stripes,
and we shouldn't have to lose it
as early as we do,? she said.
The FAA
plans to issue a formal Notice
of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM)
later this year and will publish
a final rule after careful
consideration of all public
comments, as required by law.
"Foreign airlines have
demonstrated that experienced
pilots in good health can fly
beyond age 60 without
compromising safety," Blakey
said during her presentation.
The Flight Safety Foundation
agreed with Blakey's assertion
that flying above 60 "does not
present any safety concerns
provided all pilots continue to
have their health monitored. .
.This debate has gone on for 20
years. It is time to focus on
more critical safety issues."
The Air Transport Association
said it "continues to remain
neutral on the issue" and that
it "will work closely with FAA
to ensure a smooth transition
should they ultimately decide to
change the age limit."
The FAA
says these retirement age
changes will take effect in two
years. The delay in releasing
the NPRM will allow FAA and its
Age 60 Aviation Rulemaking
Committee formed last September
to hear from carriers and other
stakeholders on that issue and
others. |
