Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

December 2, 2008 11:16:15 AM CST

Learn about Newser Points »

« Back to the grid | Next story »

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

0 comments | Print E-mail | Digg Seed this on Newsvine Add this link to Del.icio.us StumbleUpon

Related Newser Stories

  • Air Safety Experts Most Worried About Runways

    Apr 25, 08 8:31 AM CDT
    Air Safety Experts Most Worried About Runways FAA-mandated wiring fixes have grounded thousands of flights lately, but the runway is no safe place for planes, New York Times reports. Serious runway incidents nearly doubled to 15 over the past six months, compared with the same period a year ago. “Where we are most vulnerable at this moment is on the ground,” said the chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board.   More »

  • Southwest Grounds 44 Planes

    Mar 12, 08 2:15 PM CDT
    Southwest Grounds 44 Planes Southwest Airlines grounded 44 planes today after having admitted to flying aircraft that were past due for inspections for structural cracks, the AP reports. The FAA fined Southwest $10.2 million—the largest ever levied on an airline—but the agency itself is under fire for not grounding the jets last year after it learned of the missed inspections. More »

  • Airline Sleuths Dig Up Data to Save Lives

    Jan 13, 08 7:30 PM CST
    Airline Sleuths Dig Up Data to Save Lives Airlines and air safety investigators have a new way to snoop for clues that can help avoid future accidents, the Washington Post reports. While they once depended on crash remains for evidence, they have now gone digital, pursuing daily probes of thousands of computer records and pilots' reports to dig up data that can avert disaster. More »

  • Tired Pilots Wake Up Just in Time to Land Red-Eye

    Nov 2, 07 4:40 PM CDT
    Tired Pilots Wake Up Just in Time to Land Red-Eye Two commercial pilots—one of whom had flown three straights nights—fell asleep on a red-eye flight from Baltimore to Denver in 2004 but woke up just in time to land safely, the Rocky Mountain News reports. The plane was coming in much too fast and high, but the captain roused himself at the last minute to correct the aircraft's course. More »

  (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)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
Our editors also recommend:

Threads (
1
 of 1)

Tags

airline • FAA • retirement • pilot • airline safety • pilot fatigue


Loading...

Premium Articles from HighBeam

Find more articles like this

Today's Most Popular

Loading...

Other US Stories

What is Newser?

2008 Codie Finalist

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser a team of editors and writers culls the most important stories from hundreds of U.S. and international sources and reduces them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. It's the Newser guarantee: we can take any report or column or video and pack what you need to know into 120 words or less. Newser's short-form aggregation, visual format, and unique information tools help you get more of the kind of news you want, in a quicker and more entertaining way. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »