by Dr. Bill Blank, MD
Senior Aviation Medical Examiner© Copyright 2024.
All rights reserved!
Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine April/May 2024 Digital Issue
When I learned to fly a long time ago (56 years ago), I never thought about how long I would fly. How time flies. I’m about a month younger than our current president. People I’ve known for years are passing away suddenly or after protracted illnesses. How long should a pilot fly? How old can he/she be and still fly safely?
For airline pilots, the answer is simple… government regulation requires them to stop flying airliners at their 65th birthday. This requirement is based to some extent on medical data, but mostly on political considerations. The airlines, pilots, airline pilot unions, and politicians all have their own views. There currently is a shortage of professional pilots at certain levels.
The health of the pilot is only one factor considered. As I write this article, Congress considered raising the retirement age for airline pilots to 67, but the Senate Commerce Committee decided against it by one vote on February 8, 2024. The Biden Administration, ALPA (Air Line Pilots Association) and the FAA opposed it. The FAA wants more time to “study” the issue. I don’t think we have heard the last on this. Things move slowly in Washington. For pilots flying for companies such as NetJets, the companies have instituted a mandatory retirement age of 70. This is not an FAA requirement. It is probably partly driven by liability and insurance considerations
Older pilots, whether still flying commercially or not, are subject to the passage of time. Aging changes are usually slowly progressive, but can sometimes be sudden and catastrophic. For older pilots, “risk mitigation” is the key. Some strategies include limiting the weather conditions in which you fly: VFR or IFR, higher IFR minimums, lower wind limits, etc.? Older people tend to develop cataracts. An early symptom is trouble driving at night, so you may want to limit your flying to days only. Another option is to only fly with another pilot, ideally, fully qualified to be the pilot-in-command.
What are additional things to consider? Can you get into and out of the airplane without help? Can you move it manually on the ground? If you have a mishap, you need to be able to exit the aircraft by yourself. If you have a high-wing aircraft, can you climb up a ladder to fuel it? Are your takeoffs and landings safe? Are you still comfortable flying in windy, gusty conditions? Are you forgetful? Trouble remembering frequencies? Forgetting things on checklists? Some of these things you can mitigate or work around. For instance, someone else could fuel the aircraft and help you move it on the ground. Running through checklists twice can help prevent omitting items.
Memory problems frequently have an insidious onset. Hopefully, you will be the first to notice them and ground yourself. It’s much better if you recognize the problem, as opposed to someone else realizing it and either calling it to your attention or notifying the FAA. The key is to continue to re-access your fitness to fly. You don’t want to injure yourself or anyone else. You certainly don’t want to be on the front page of the newspaper, or the first story on television news.
Here’s an article some of you may find of interest:
https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/09/health/cognitive-ability-age/index.html
Happy safe flying for as long as you can and want to.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Columnist William A. Blank is a physician in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and has been an Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) since 1978, and a Senior AME since 1985. Dr. Blank is a retired Ophthalmologist, but still gives some of the ophthalmology lectures at AME renewal seminars. Flying-wise, Dr. Blank holds an Airline Transport Pilot Certificate and has 6000 hours. He is a Certified Flight Instructor – Instrument (CFII) and has given over 1200 hours of aerobatic instruction. In addition, Dr. Blank was an airshow performer through the 2014 season and has held a Statement of Aerobatic Competency (SAC) since 1987. He was inducted into the Wisconsin Aviation Hall of Fame in 2021.
DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this column is the expressed opinion of the author only, and readers are advised to seek the advice of others, including their own AME, and refer to the Federal Aviation Regulations and FAA Aeronautical Information Manual for additional information and clarification.
