Too Old?

On Sun, 31 Aug 2008 20:25:08 GMT, wrote:

In rec.aviation.piloting Gezellig wrote:
Recently a 72 yo went blind in flight (stroke?) and safely landed in the
drink in FL. Several comments were that age should be considered in
keeping your PPL. I can see this makes sense /but/ it would prolly be
illegal.

Too old? If so, at what age do you place the cutoff?

Lordy...My uncle still looked to be under 50 when he turned 80.
He didn't show his age until about 85-86 where the arthritis started
bending him out of shape. OTOH his grand kids took him out for dinner
a week after his 99th birthday. The women were still hitting on him.
They went home, he sat down in an easy chair and died.

The cut off should be based on whether he knows what day it is...er
no, most of us who are retired don't know that. I guess I'd say if
they can see, aren't senile, have reasonable reflexes, and good
judgmental skills they'd qualify. I realize I just eliminated about
half the drivers on the road though:-))

When you can't pass the medical; that's what it is for.

Everyone's biology is different.

I think just about everyone knows people who are healthy as a horse
and in their late 80's and people who've dropped dead in their 50's.

My ex wife's dad was roofing those big hip roofed barns in his middle
80's. I'd bet he was near 100 when he kicked the bucket. He was too
ornery to let go.



Roger (K8RI) ARRL Life Member
N833R (World's oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com