Age 60 Rule

The Honorable John McCain March 31, 2002
United States Senate
225 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-4601

Dear Senator McCain,

I am writing to ask you to support a bill, S.361, submitted by Senator Frank Murkowski of Alaska. The bill would raise the FAA mandated retirement age for commercial pilots in F.A.R. part 121 operations from 60 to 65.

The FAA’s “Age 60 Rule” was an arbitrary number chosen more than 40 years ago at the dawn of the jet age. By mandating the premature retirement of demonstrably healthy, highly motivated, and extremely well qualified and experienced air carrier pilots at the arbitrary and discriminatory age of 60, the rule deprives the industry of the services of its safest and most experienced pilots, reduces the level of safety in air transportation, discriminates against a protected class of older workers, and injures the public interest.

I know that the airline industry is experiencing a shortage of pilots and it just doesn’t make sense to put these most experienced professionals “out to pasture”. Nearly every other country in the world has changed this antiquated age restriction and FAA statistics show that air carrier pilots aged 60 and over have a superior safety record as compared to other pilot age groups within either Part 121 or Part 135. (FAA Civil Aero Medical Institute as quoted in the Chicago Tribune, July 1999)

Incidentally, I am sharper professionally and healthier than I was 20 years ago. I am still able to fly as a test pilot and deliver new aircraft from the factory. Interestingly, the FAA allows me to fly the same aircraft that I was flying when forced to retire as a line pilot this past September. However, I am allowed to fly that same airplane with the same crew and passengers to the same destination IF no one pays for their ticket! Does any of this idiocy make sense to you?

How can our country justify this regulation? I think the traveling public deserves the added safety provided by these experienced professional aviators. Please help make this possible.

Yours truly,

Captain Billy Walker