How old is too old to fly?

[BKlott]

My Dad still had good stick and rudder skills at age 89. In fact, he took some dual in a Stearman that summer. When he passed away a few months later and his Instructor found out how old Dad was, he was stunned.

[KLRDMD]

On 11/1/2019 at 6:46 PM, Yooper Rocketman said:

6 months ago, before me third hand surgery, I was running 30 miles a week at 63 years old.

You have me beat. I only run 20-25 miles a week and am only 60.

Edited November 3, 2019 by KLRDMD

[Bob_Belville]

As to age... and running, I'm a fan of Satchel Paige. 

[Hank]

Way to go, @Bob_Belville! I also don't run. Mom had old-fashioned knee surgery when I was in high school and she told me to be careful of my knees. Ever since I graduated from high school and no longer had a coach making me run, I haven't. There is no need for me to be able to run any further than to the nearest gun.

But I do have a goal:  to qualify for membership in the UFOs. I'm off to a better start than my father, he's now 81, Commercial ME but has far too many health issues. He did ride with me a couple of times but two artificial knees, two hearing aids, a pacemaker, diabetes and balance problems have made it too difficult the last 6-8 years.

Edited November 3, 2019 by Hank

[Seymour]

My days of being an "age denier" are quickly passing.   

Approaching my 60th birthday, I applied for a new car insurance policy and was asked if I'd taken a Senior Driving Course in the past 3 years.   So I took the 4 hour online course to get the discount and learned:

"Some things get better with age!    Vision, hearing, mobility, cognition and reflexes (unfortunately) do not. "    Although "rubber on road" focused, the lessons were easily transferable to piloting skills.   It's critically important for the safety of both you and others to recognize your limitations. 

...and last year my doc told me to quit distance running if I want to keep my inborn hips, so there's that, too.

Dave

[ilovecornfields]

I recently saw a pilot in the ER in his 80’s, so of course we started taking about flying and he mentioned that he was selling his plane because he was getting too old to fly (his blood pressure was a little high and turning the lights down and taking about flying dropped it about 40 points). I asked him if he’d had some scares or some event that motivated him to do that and he told me that his partner in another plane had landed short of the runway “for no good reason” and he realized that his skills were going to start deteriorating so he owed it to himself and his family to retire BEFORE that happened instead of after it caused problems for him or someone else. I thought this was quite insightful and really said a lot about his character and commitment to safety.

By far the best patient encounter I had all day. Much more enjoyable than the fecal impaction...

[ArtVandelay]

I think if  you can get in the airplane you can fly it.

With Mooneys that’s probably the biggest obstacle, getting in and out.


Tom

[aviatoreb]

1 hour ago, Hyett6420 said:

I know of a few 70-80 yr olds still flying, but they are flying simpler aircraft.  I know of a 66 yr old who freezes on landing, (we are working on that one with him)  and a 70 yr old,who froze on landing and wrote the plane off.

So I dont think there is a too old, imthink its all about cognitive capability.  Ive promised myself ill fly AL till im 75 then I'll stop and hang up my goggles, so ive got 20 years left.    

Andrew

Was that 70 year old freezing earlier in his/her flying career - is this a new problem?  How is his/her driving?

[aviatoreb]

47 minutes ago, ArtVandelay said:

With Mooneys that’s probably the biggest obstacle, getting in and out.


Tom

Cessna 177 is the ultimate for in and out.

[MooneyMitch]

Freezing?  The closest I came to freezing was the night I brought my Ovation home from San Diego...... the door popped open over El Monte and I couldn’t close it in mid-flight!! .  I was nearly frozen when I landed. .

71 and no signs of freezing..... YET !! 

 

[RogueOne]

I will let my wife tell you after I am dead.

[EricJ]

Our drome pilots' association just had our regular pancake breakfast at the washrack near my hangar on Saturday.    One of the local controllers spoke for a little bit, and the airport manager spoke for a bit.   In between those one of the members recognized a local pilot who had a very long, checkered flying career, owned an FBO, flew all kinds of crazy stuff (P-51s, etc., etc), and now flies an RV that he built.   He's 90.   Not sure I'd fly with him, but he's still out there doing it.

One of my hangar neighbors is in his 80s, a super-nice dude, and has a gorgeous RV that he and his wife built.   I help him with anything technical or computer related, like setting up his ADS-B, pads, etc.   Always glad to see him out flying, but I'm always a little torn about flying with him...so I haven't yet.    

It's a funny thing.   I hope I quit when I should, and I'm not sure I'll be the best judge of when that is.

[BKlott]

3 hours ago, aviatoreb said:

Cessna 177 is the ultimate for in and out.

I can’t help but think that with the aging Pilot population and the difficulty of getting in and out of most airplanes, is Cessna not missing an opportunity to start pumping out Cardinals again? The last airplane that you can get in and out of?

[Andy95W]

Like most of us, I started with plastic models, then balsa, then radio control. After that C-152/172 and Piper, Mooney, Beechcraft, etc. 

I figure I’ll probably go out in reverse order. 

[aviatoreb]

1 hour ago, bluehighwayflyer said:

Again.  We think alike, Andy.  My first was a plastic Cox .049 (under) powered P-51D control line model.  I hope to go out the same way I came in.  

Me too!  Loved those cox .049 engines.  I can still remember the feeling of not being quite quick enough to get my finger out in time !  Ouch!  Those control line airplanes were fun.

[HRM]

I am totally enjoying this thread.

Age is, indeed, a mind thing. 

#1 on my 'bucket list' is to join the UFOs. Don't visit their website if you are younger than 80, it's just scary.

Wifey retired last year from 30+ years teaching K-12, most of it middle school. She still contends that I have the maturity of a 12 year old and if anyone knows the maturity of 12 YO boys, she does. Keeps me going.

[RogueOne]

13 hours ago, Hank said:

Way to go, @Bob_Belville! I also don't run. Mom had old-fashioned knee surgery when I was in high school and she told me to be careful of my knees. Ever since I graduated from high school and no longer had a coach making me run, I haven't. There is no need for me to be able to run any further than to the nearest gun.

But I do have a goal:  to qualify for membership in the UFOs. I'm off to a better start than my father, he's now 81, Commercial ME but has far too many health issues. He did ride with me a couple of times but two artificial knees, two hearing aids, a pacemaker, diabetes and balance problems have made it too difficult the last 6-8 years.

Enjoy your dad.  Mine died at 62 in 1991.  He has been gone nearly my age at the time of his passing.  %$^&ing diabetes.  I’d give a good knee for some of his wisdom and stories...

[Andy95W]

My EAA chapter newsletter had a great quote that seems to apply to this thread:

"I'm not afraid of flying.  I'm afraid of not flying."

[Frank B.]

On 11/1/2019 at 6:03 PM, midlifeflyer said:

People are so different. I live in a community where the average age of death is 97. I play tennis with a guy who is 88 and he is a very good player.

Any homes for sale in your community? Maybe I could see myself living in NC! 

 

[Mooney in Oz]

21 hours ago, Hank said:

Mom had old-fashioned knee surgery when I was in high school and she told me to be careful of my knees.

Wise words. Always listen to mother's advice.

I would love to run but can't as I underwent right knee replacement surgery 2 years ago, so I do the next best thing - bought a treadmill, elevate it to its highest level and make the speed a fast walk.  I soon reach a high heart rate with an excellent workout to both legs.  I do this as high intensity interval training (HiiTs) for 30 minutes and at 63, I feel fantastic at the end.

Exercise is a must. I plan to fly my Mooney as long as my medical permits.

[Amelia]

i decided I was done flying a few years back. Then had four or five successive hellish domestic airline flights. Molested by TSA, tiny multitool stolen by same, seated between two very obese armrest hogs, luggage rifled, flights delayed for hours. A flight I could have completed door to door by Mooney in five hours took 17 on United. Arggh. So I went and bought the Beastie, a Screaming Eagle, for my 70th birthday. Still loving it, marveling at its comfort, speed, stability, and all, but I’m fully aware that it isn’t my long-term travel solution. Sigh...

As for running, I didn’t willingly do that when I was a teenager.. Nowadays,  if you ever see me running, please shoot the guy behind me.

[Hank]

30 minutes ago, Amelia said:

 

As for running, I didn’t willingly do that when I was a teenager.. Nowadays,  if you ever see me running, please shoot the guy behind me.

I tell people if they ever see me running, try to keep up! There's either something behind me they also don't want to be around, or something ahead of me that I may want some help with.

[aviatoreb]

48 minutes ago, Amelia said:

i decided I was done flying a few years back. Then had four or five successive hellish domestic airline flights. Molested by TSA, tiny multitool stolen by same, seated between two very obese armrest hogs, luggage rifled, flights delayed for hours. A flight I could have completed door to door by Mooney in five hours took 17 on United. Arggh. So I went and bought the Beastie, a Screaming Eagle, for my 70th birthday. Still loving it, marveling at its comfort, speed, stability, and all, but I’m fully aware that it isn’t my long-term travel solution. Sigh...

As for running, I didn’t willingly do that when I was a teenager.. Nowadays,  if you ever see me running, please shoot the guy behind me.

Ah - so what you are saying is - you are too old to not fly!  Too old to hassle squeezing through the airline system, tsa, tight seats, etc.

Although for the cost of GA - if we were to give it up, then it would leave plenty of money to fly everywhere in first class.  Still - tsa.  Yuk.  I'm with you!

As for me and running - very funny!  - I have almost the same thought - if you see me running - please shoot the bear behind me!!!

I do some form of significant exercise every day, from a wide selection depending on the time year and my interests.  cycling, xc skiing, flat water kayaking, rowing/sculling.  I went sculling this morning.  But running - it has always injured me.  My skeleton isn't up to it.  Even when I was a young' I couldn't run without injuring myself.  At 6'4'' and not skinning - when I work out I actually get heavier rather than lighter - currently 100kg, my knees, hips and feet just don't like when I run.

[steingar]

Steingar runs away from danger and after wimmin'.

The fear for me isn't giving up flying because I'm no longer up for it.  The real fear this that I'll recognize when it's time to hang it up.  I certainly don't want to give GA the black eye it gets from me flying longer than I should and harming someone.

 

 

[HRM]

31 minutes ago, aviatoreb said:

Too old to hassle squeezing through the airline system...

LOL. I have various markers lined up to let me know "when it's time" for various things.

One of those is the Mooney, when I can no longer get to the pilot's seat it will be time for a Cessgnat.

A buddy who is an FSDO up north made the following FB comment when he saw I bought a Mooney: You don't fly a Mooney, you wear it!