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September 5, 2008 8:40:58 PM CDT

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Pilots Can Now Fly Until Age 65

Posted Dec 15, 07 9:23 AM CST in US 

(Newser) – US pilots can now fly until they're 65 instead of being of being forced to retire at age 60. A bill signed into law yesterday raises the mandatory retirement age to reflect the greater physical fitness of today's 60-year-olds, the Chicago Tribune reports. The new law puts an end to a half-century of industry debate and brings the US in line with the rest of the world.

The new law is unwelcome news for younger pilots struggling to find good jobs in the current airline slump. Others worry about safety implications of older pilots' vulnerability to fatigue, though the FAA says there is no proof of age-related risk. Pilots already forced to retire can return, but they must do so as lowly junior pilots.

Source Chicago Tribune

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  (Index Stock)
United Airlines pilot Capt. Allan Engelhardt, 59, sits inside the cockpit of a Boeing 777 at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport in this July 25, 2006 file photo. Englehardt is part of a group of dozens...   (Associated Press)
  (Index Stock)
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airline  • FAA  • retirement  • pilot  • airline safety  • pilot fatigue


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