How old is too old to fly?

R. Hubbell wrote in
news:20040305083821.7b5873a9@fstop:

With the recent talk about diving and flying and personal limitations
I wonder how older pilots feel about their own abilities to keep fresh
and when do you hang up the wings? Or do you just limit your flying
and take it easier as long as the medical is good?

And interesting thread is sure to follow your question. As I am sure
you suspect, there is probably no one-size-fits-all answer (much less a
concensus on what that might be).

There is no question that (percentage-wise) older pilots have slower
reaction times than youngsters. Cognitive skills also decrease with
age. OTOH, pilots with more hours tend to have more experience (and
hopefully better judgement). For some time these things probably offset
each other (or even show an improvement).

But eventually age has an affect. The arguement over Bob Hoover
(ignoring all the other political and personal issues) was not whether
he could perform his routine (clearly he could) but whether he could
handle the situation if something went wrong. [All based on an
*experimental* congnitive skills test he had voluntarily taken some time
before, just to help out.]

So should any pilot over the age of 30 consider "hanging it up"? No...
let's face it, I was NEVER at the level of Bob Hoover or Patty Wagstaff,
even in the BEST of my days. Yet I am able to fly safely and
comfortably.

Why? Well, because the flying I do doesn't REQUIRE that skill level.
And I would say therein lies part of the answer to extending ones flying
years. Perhaps simpler (and/or slower planes). Perhaps it means less
IFR in busy airspace. And it definitely means less long days with 12 -
14 hours in the cockpit.

But with an honest self-assesment (no easy task) the average pilot can
certainly fly for many years.

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James M. Knox
TriSoft ph 512-385-0316
1109-A Shady Lane fax 512-366-4331
Austin, Tx 78721
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