Captain Chesley ‘Sully’ Sullenberg and aviation regulators are warning Congress towards elevating the necessary retirement age for pilots to 67.
Congress is engaged on a invoice to increase the authorization of the Federal Aviation Administration for 5 years. Final 12 months, it did not go a invoice earlier than the deadline, which it then quickly prolonged to March of this 12 months.
Final July, the Home of Representatives handed a invoice that may increase the age pilots must retire from 65 to 67, Reuters reported.
However as Congress works on the reauthorization invoice, aviation specialists are elevating considerations about this potential measure.
On Monday, FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker wrote a letter to Senators Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell, who sit on the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
“We consider it’s essential to offer the company a possibility to conduct analysis and decide mitigations,” Whitaker wrote, per Reuters.
“We strongly encourage previous that sort of change with applicable analysis in order that the FAA can measure any threat related to that coverage and outline applicable mitigations,” he added.
Throughout a Senate listening to the following day, Whitaker appeared open to the thought of elevating the retirement age, however once more cautioned concerning the want for information first.
Sullenberger — the captain who gained fame following “The Miracle on the Hudson” — was extra adamant in his opposition.
“The pilot retirement age shouldn’t be raised,” he mentioned in a Wednesday X publish.
“There aren’t information to help it, and there are security and operational points with elevating it,” he added.
Pilots aged over 64 aren’t allowed to work on worldwide flights. The Regional Airline Affiliation, a commerce group for smaller airways, helps the change based on the Related Press.
However the Air Line Pilots Affiliation, a union that represents 77,000 pilots within the US and Canada, opposes elevating the age. It says it would not enhance the variety of pilots working, per the AP.
