What age is a good time to stop flying

[Happyflyer]

I also met Bert on his way around Australia. He was a bit shakey but has been flying most of his life, RAAF and airlines so he really knows his stuff. You can tell when some one is too old. when they lose situational awareness. You know the guy, when he comes in everyone gets out of his way. Please tell me when they do that for me!

 

 

[facthunter]

I've seen pilots who don't know where they are at late 50's, and other people who play a great game of tennis well into their 80's. Statements of "too old" applied generally ignore the large variability that occurs in the aging process, especially in how people look after themselves or knock themselves around. Love of flying shouldn't over-ride reason and facts though, and it's hard to be objective about yourself.. Younger pilots can "mentor" their older mates if they are very aware (as you would if the person had other problems such as alcohol abuse). Nev

 

 

[Guernsey]

Had a really dud landing today but I haven no thought of giving it up, I just think about where I went wrong. Was too high on final and should have gone round but I slipped it in. Was tired after a days flying. My wife's box of wine in the back affected the CofG. It isn't old age I was just as useless 40 years ago. I will try again next week.

I bet that if it had been your box of wine in the back, you would have been much more careful.

 

Alan.

 

 

[Geoff13]

I have an 86 year old friend who two years ago rode around Australia on his 40 year old motorcycle with his 84 year old wife on the back. They had a ball and he is one of the best riders I know. Age is not a determining factor. Ability is.

 

Cheers geoff13

 

 

[Bruce Tuncks]

What should happen is that when you turn 70 you should be freed from all the bullying nonsense which passes for "safety" regulation.

 

Here's why...

 

(1) A 70 year old has a proven track record of survival. No 40 or 50 year-olds have proven they have what it takes to get to be 70. So the experts are the 70 plus guys and they should call the shots.

 

(2) Most 70 year-olds have finished work and therefore their passing will not be of detriment to the country. Not that they would be easy to get rid of if you refer back to point (1).

 

(3) It is about 5 times more risky, on mortality statistics, to be inactive than it is to fly. So anybody who who grounds a 70 year-old and makes him inactive is at best showing a lamentable lack of situational awareness and at worst showing a callous disregard for the persons life.

 

Regards from a young 69 year-old.

 

 

[spacesailor]

THANKS BRUCE. Now that's made my DAY or YEAR.,

 

Here's a bit more!, 14 grandkids and 7 great Grand kids, are going to be mortified when I go.

 

Happens every time I disappear for a couple of weeks. LoL

 

spacesailor

 

 

[Phil Perry]

Had a really dud landing today but I haven no thought of giving it up, I just think about where I went wrong. Was too high on final and should have gone round but I slipped it in. Was tired after a days flying. My wife's box of wine in the back affected the CofG. It isn't old age I was just as useless 40 years ago. I will try again next week.

Maybe a case of English "Light Ale" would have done a better job with the weight 'N' balance ? ? ? ?

 

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Phil

 

 

[Phil Perry]

[ATTACH=full]32357[/ATTACH]We made this to climb on the roof of the ofice in the corner of the hanger

I trust you did a good stress analysis on the bamboo first ? ? ? ? ? Hey, don't forget that if you ever use that ladder over here in good ole Europe,. . . . you'll need a "Stop" sign at the top to comply with Elf 'N' Safety regs. . . . . .

 

 

[Dafydd Llewellyn]

What should happen is that when you turn 70 you should be freed from all the bullying nonsense which passes for "safety" regulation.Here's why...

(1) A 70 year old has a proven track record of survival. No 40 or 50 year-olds have proven they have what it takes to get to be 70. So the experts are the 70 plus guys and they should call the shots.

 

(2) Most 70 year-olds have finished work and therefore their passing will not be of detriment to the country. Not that they would be easy to get rid of if you refer back to point (1).

 

(3) It is about 5 times more risky, on mortality statistics, to be inactive than it is to fly. So anybody who who grounds a 70 year-old and makes him inactive is at best showing a lamentable lack of situational awareness and at worst showing a callous disregard for the persons life.

 

Regards from a young 69 year-old.

More truth in that than you may think; flying gives you an incentive to look after your health. I started flying 51 years ago; still learning. When you stop learning, it's time to quit.

 

 

[Yenn]

I reckon I will stop when it is no longer fun. I have got to the point that I don't want to do long cross country flights, but about an hour local flying makes me feel alive. I certainly don't want to get like all the grey nomads I see, who live for a cup of coffee and a natter.

 

 

[AVOCET]

I reckon I will stop when it is no longer fun. I have got to the point that I don't want to do long cross country flights, but about an hour local flying makes me feel alive. I certainly don't want to get like all the grey nomads I see, who live for a cup of coffee and a natter.

I agree Yenn , just thinking that the other day , and reading your post just now it suddenly dawned on me WHY I DONT GET MANY VISITORS !

Orrr , ............is it something else ?

 

 

[Nobody]

I reckon you need to start thinking hard at about age 75. I don't have aviation statistics but on the road the data is clear. Per kM travelled males aged 75+ have higher crash rates and serious injury rates than the 15 to 19 age group.

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9663297

 

 

[408059]

On a more serious note, I know of a CFI who is 83 this year. His spin on being mature in age and still flying is currency. If you stay current in flying and you are in good health then there is no reason you should stop. The older you are the more current in flying you have to be. If you loose your currency then your risk profile sharply changes. Some thoughts.

 

 

[red750]

My last flight was when I was 42. Age had nothing to do with it. $$$$$$$. With 3 kids in secondary school, I could only afford the 3 hrs PIC in the 3 mths before renewal and the BFR. One hour of circuits/training area per month for 3 months. After a couple of cycles of this, although I aced the BFRs, I figured so little current experience would end up biting me, so I gave it away, hoping to return to it when at least a couple of the kids left school. Then my 'lifelong' career came to an end at the age of 45, when my employer was taken over by a much larger concern, and unwanted staff of the little guy were retrenched. A few years of temping, and finally a call centre job, earning at 65 a bit less than I did at 45, meant I never got to rekindle the aviating. In those final 20 years, mother nature started taking her toll, as various bits started deteriorating such that I would not have passed any medical. I don't know if Rec Aviation was in at that time, if it was I wasn't aware of it, maybe the ultralight movement. I couldn't afford to own or join a syndicate, so all my flying was private GA hire mainly out of YMMB, which simply got too expensive.

 

 

[Butch]

I just completed my RA licence and X country at 56.

 

It took me 12 months to get there , I think the study and flight practice has made me more aware and sharper in general than I was before I started flying.

 

The main thing is to keep your brain active , try something new and as my old Grandfather used to say " your only as old as the woman you feel"

 

cheer's Butch

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

I've been wondering when one of those dropkick journos pick up on the average age of the pilots in some of these accidents lately and run with that.

 

 

[Yenn]

Don't know about 75. Since I passed that milestone I have done the first flight of my homebuilt RV4 and knotched up qiute a few hours, plus flying my Corby and A C150 for a BFR. Maybe 80 and I will start considering.

 

 

[facthunter]

It's not a one size (or AGE) fits all, but the odds go against a lot of your mates being around with you as time goes on. Make the most of anything while you can because you never know when it will stop. Nev

 

 

[RickH]

One thing that I think should be the same for all is training, we all share the same airspace and I don't think rec aviation training is up to the standard.

I know an awful lot of people who will disagree with you re training standards. By the way thanks for the maths and English lessons. I'm sure your ego feels much better. I'm also sure the rest of us got Dan's point.

 

 

[Yenn]

Nobody You may be correct about over 75s having more accidents than 14 to 19 year olds. Just have alook at the 19 to 30 year olds statistics and I bet they are worse than the over 75s. I was always of the opinion that boys should be tought to drive as soon as they were big enough to reach the pedals. That way they get experience before testosterone kicks in. I learnt to drive on the farm as a kid and then got to throw some heavy metal around in the army. Got well and truly ticked off because I frightened a civilian employee, by drifting a 7 to truck round a corner near him and that tought me a lesson about how to behave on the road.

 

 

[dazza 38]

Nobody You may be correct about over 75s having more accidents than 14 to 19 year olds. Just have alook at the 19 to 30 year olds statistics and I bet they are worse than the over 75s. I was always of the opinion that boys should be tought to drive as soon as they were big enough to reach the pedals. That way they get experience before testosterone kicks in. I learnt to drive on the farm as a kid and then got to throw some heavy metal around in the army. Got well and truly ticked off because I frightened a civilian employee, by drifting a 7 to truck round a corner near him and that tought me a lesson about how to behave on the road.

Me too, I learnt to drive a Willies jeep on our farm when I was about 9 or 10.

 

 

[dsam]

Growing up in Alberta Canada, I had a learner's permit to drive a car at 14 (1970), and my first (self bought) car at 16, so I drove myself to high school. Through Air Cadets, I did my first solo in a glider at age 15, and had my PPL through Air Cadet training at age 18. There's no substitute for early discipline, in my opinion. Learning the basics early means they stay with you for life, I suspect. I am convinced this is what helps keep me flying safely now I've retired, despite the long gap in my flying currency since those early days.

 

 

[facthunter]

Self discipline is an essential part of survival, particularly in flying. It doesn't come easy to everyone. Some regard it as Passe or boring. Nev

 

 

[Phil Perry]

Sorry in advance to inject humour into such a serious subject BUT . . .I'm reminded of a story I heard about an elderly pilot who died peacefully in his sleep . . . . . . . .unlike his screaming passengers in the back . . . . .

 

 

[facthunter]

The first time I heard that one I laughed so much I dribbled all over my bib. Nev