Age 65 right around corner... 15 year upgrades at SWA!!!

[jimEJet]

House votes to extend airline pilot retirement age from 60 to 65
By JIM ABRAMS , Associated Press
Last update: December 11, 2007 - 6:27 PM
The House voted unanimously Tuesday to extend the retirement age for commercial pilots to 65, changing a 1960 Federal Aviation Administration regulation forcing pilots to leave the cockpit at age 60.
The bill, if approved by the Senate, would put the U.S. retirement age in line with international standards. The International Civil Aviation Organization adopted an age 65 retirement age in November, 2006. The measure passed on a 390-0 vote.
"Each day that passes without raising the retirement age to 65, approximately five of our senior, most experienced pilots will be forced to retire," Transportation Committee Chairman James Oberstar, D-Minn., said.
The retirement age provision was originally included in a larger bill to reauthorize FAA programs that the House passed in September. But with the FAA bill unlikely to see action in the Senate this year, Oberstar and his Republican counterpart, Rep. John Mica, R-Fla., agreed to move the retirement bill separately in hopes of winning quick Senate approval.
The bill would require pilots who reach age 60 to have a medical certificate renewed every six months, to continue to participate in FAA pilot training and qualification programs and be administered a line check every six months.
Following international practices, flights out of U.S. airports for foreign destinations would have to have at least one pilot under age 60.
The legislation is not retroactive, and airlines would not be required to hire back pilots who retire before the measure goes into effect.___
The bill is H.R. 4343.

 

[Jolly Roger]

luvley.

 

[flyingid]

I've heard that the medical requirements would be a lot harder to pass. So all those old farts would lose there medicals anyways. Anyone else hear about the additional restrictions on the medicals?

 

[NoJoy]

You beat me to it! Why ALPA suppport this I don't know. Does anyone know when the Senate is supposed to vote on this?

 

[PCL_128]

I've heard that the medical requirements would be a lot harder to pass. So all those old farts would lose there medicals anyways. Anyone else hear about the additional restrictions on the medicals?

You heard wrong. Oberstar's language doesn't allow for increased medical standards. Still a POS bill, however.

 

[Deadalus]

Greeeaaaat. I can hear management now. "You guys don't need better pay and retirement, because now you can fly 90 hours a month until you're 65, then you'll drop dead" I can't believe how $#@%#@%! stupid some of my co-workers are.

 

[LJDRVR]

Why ALPA suppport this I don't know.

Here's why:

H.R.4343 will clarify non-retroactivity, provide sufficient liability protection for unions...

ALPA national has some explaining to do. Something along the lines of why we ignored the wishes of the majority of our members, couched that in the cloak of "we need to be involved with the process cause it's gonna happen anyway." Then, when the House passes it, comes out with a public statement praising "bold politicians"

YGTBFSM.

 

[Deadalus]

I think we all need to vote for the recall of Prater, that stupid pr!ck.

 

[NoJoy]

True-most of ALPA's members who took the survey way back when were against the increase. My idea on their survey was if it passes, absolutley no Captains at age 60.

 

[PCL_128]

A question to those of you angry at ALPA: did you participate in the survey? Are you aware that not even 50% of the membership even bothered to vote in the survey? I think Prater has handled this horribly, and I disagree with ALPA's current position on this issue, but the fact of the matter is that the membership didn't even bother to get involved in this.