AARP
May 21, 2003
Author: Michael W. Naylor

May 14, 2003


The Honorable James M. Inhofe
United States Senate
Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510

Dear Senator Inhofe:

AARP is pleased to support your legislation, S. 959, to increase the mandatory retirement age for airline pilots to age 65, from its current age of 60. This bill is an important step in recognizing that pilots should be judged on the basis of their individual ability and flying skills, not on unproven and mistaken assumptions about age.

AARP has long opposed the Federal Aviation Administrations’ arbitrary rule requiring airline pilots to retire at age 60, as well as all laws and regulations imposing a mandatory retirement age in any profession. Older workers, like all workers, should be judged on the basis of their individual competency and ability to do the job, not on inaccurate and stigmatizing stereotypes about older workers generally. There is no evidence that pilots over age 60 perform worse than younger pilots. Indeed, there is reason to believe that lengthy experience is a good predictor of pilot competency. Accordingly, AARP has testified before Congress and the FAA in opposition to the age 60 rule; filed amicus curiae briefs in the U.S. Supreme Court and other federal courts; filed comments in FAA rulemakings; and supported the efforts of individual pilots seeking exemptions from that rule.

AARP applauds your efforts on this important civil rights issue. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me or have your staff contact Amy Shannon of AARP’s Federal Affairs Department at 202/434-3760.

Sincerely,


Michael W. Naylor
Director of Advocacy
State and National Initiatives

none of these is required by the FAA in medical exams for the assessment of pilots flying for the airlines. To rely on age instead of more predictive tests suggests that the rule has nothing to do with safety.