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Article #62: Pilots Age 60 Where Is It Now

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Probably one of the most contentious the adjournment of the 109th Congress.
issues of recent times in the aviation Whilst, both bills died a standalone
community is the proposed changes to the death, they received a much needed boost
age 60 rule. As most of the readers will by their incorporation as amendments into
be aware, age 60 is a mandatory the Transportations Appropriations Bill,
retirement age for pilots involved in the HR 5576. Generally, these money bills are
part 121 airline environment. voted and passed in the house before
Representations and pressure groups from moving into the second phase of review in
both ends of the age spectrum have the Senate. While in review in Senate Sub
recently been engaged in open warfare to Committee the S 65 changes where added to
influence the change in legislation to the appropriations bill.
their specific sides benefit. However, due to the election the money
In early 2005, the republican senator for bill was never voted upon and therefore
Nevada introduced a bill, HR 65, which ceased when the 109th congress adjourned
dealt with altering the retirement age in December 2006. Rather than pass these
for airline pilots from 60 to 65, so as appropriations bills congress choose to
to be inline with ICAO rules. The pass a continuing resolution which
resolution was then referred to the House allowed the federal government to fund
Committee on Transportation and their agencies until Feb 15th, 2007.
infrastructure which was chaired by Rep. So as it stands, the amendments remain
Don Young. Subsequently HR 65 was then within the appropriations bill and must
referred to the Sub Committee on Aviation be addressed by the 110th Congress
which falls under the jurisdiction of the whether individually or rolled up into a
Transportation committee. There was single bill called an omnibus bill. As
indeed no hearings ever conducted on HR the balance of power in Congress has
65 nor were any recommendations tendered changed its unlikely that the Democrat
to the House Committee on Transportation. led Senate would choose to keep any
Thats basically where the resolution controversial amendments in the
remained all through 2006 until the 109th appropriations bill lest it cause the
Congress adjourned in December. delay of federal funding for their
Further to the above, a bill entitled S agencies. Having said that, there is
65 was sponsored in the Senate which was tremendous pressure from both sides of
then referred to the relevant committee the age divide to influence the
for consideration. On the 19th July 2005, proceedings.
the committee met and convened a hearing It's difficult to argue with the plight
to consider the issue. Representations of the lower end of the seniority list,
from many pressure groups such as, FAA, having been restricted from the usual
Aerospace Medical Association, Airline career progression by a number of factors
Pilots Association, SWAPA, Allied Pilots including 911 and the vicious airline
Association, and Jetblue Airways bankruptcies. Any change to the age 60
Corporation were heard and evaluated by rule would surely delay their captain
the committee members. On the 17th of upgrades by at least 5 years and cost
November the committee ruled and untold thousands in lost career earnings.
acquiesced to support the change to The alternative side of the argument is
mirror the ICAO regulations. Following that age 60 is discriminatory and that
the above procedure, the bill was pilots may very well be medically capable
released from committee and placed upon of pursuing the left seat until age 65.
the Senate Legislative Calendar. Irrespective of your viewpoint, it is
This is the point that many bills perish imperative that ALPA brings all pilots,
before even making it to the floor as the regardless of seniority, together on this
responsibility lays with the Senate issue. As surely a hotbed issue such as
Majority leader to determine which bills this will only be detrimental to any
are addressed by the that session of the alliance that currently exists between
Senate. The Senate Majority Leader, the different pilot groups and airline
Senator Frist never determined a date for management most definitely does not
the hearing of the bill and that is where require another issue to play wedge
the bill remained until perishing with politics with.






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