FAA's Age 60 Rule Strikes Again
Submitted by dave on March 3, 2010 - 10:53am.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,587841,00.html
NEW YORK — Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, who piloted a US Airways flight during its emergency water landing on the Hudson River in January of last year, is retiring Wednesday.
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All 150 passengers survived the emergency river landing in January 2009 when the plane's engines were struck by birds.
Call us crazy, but isn't Capt. Sullenberger exactly the sort of man we want in the cockpit when things start going pear-shaped? How is forcing an experienced--and obviously tremendously skilled--pilot to retire because he is having a birthday serving the cause of safety?
Sully's Retirement
Do your homework numb nuts. The mandatory retirement age for airline pilots was raised to 65 a couple of years ago. Sully is only in his late 50s. It appears he's retiring by choice.
Also, I saw a clip on TV the other day that reported it has been determined that if Capt. Sully had begun a turn back to the airport from which he departed as soon as he lost power, he could have made it back to the airport. Perhaps his first water landing in his quest for a seaplane rating was unnecessary.
But I have to admit, it was a nicely executed ditching (albeit possibly unnecessary.)
The Facts Are In...
...and we wuz wrong. Mea culpa.
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