STATEMENT OF SENATOR JOHN McCAIN
Apr 21, 2003
Author: John McCain

SENATE COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE

HEARING ON SAFETY OVERSIGHT OF THE FAA

July 17, 1996

STATEMENT OF SENATOR JOHN McCAIN

I would like to relate another story illustrating that political considerations often outweigh safety concerns. This Administration has been critical, and rightfully so, about the inexperience of flight crews in commercial air carrier cockpits. One obvious way to increase experience levels of cockpit crews would be to increase the discriminatory maximum age for pilots, which is limited by the "age 60 rule". However, when the Administration recently issued a Notice for Proposed Rulemaking for flight and duty time, the strong lobbying effort of the pilot unions kept the age 60 rule intact – a position that reportedly is at odds with the FAA Administrator’s own position on whether to change the rule.

I hope that the FAA and DOT will work with Congress to significantly change this way of operating.

Excerpted from official transcript of hearings.

same problem (actually four problems). Firstly, boom times mean expansion and the need for pilots. At the same time, retirements within the airline industry are on a sharp rise as the huge block of pilots hired back in the '60s reaches retirement. This surge begins around the year 2000 and peaks in 2007. Third, the pilot pool from which the necessary new-hires are drawn is shrinking. Lastly, the military cannot hold onto the pilots it has (n@) because they are leaving for the airlines.