The National Civil Aviation Administration of Argentina (ANAC) has removed age restrictions for pilots flying commercial aircraft.
On November 25, 2024, ANAC released Resolution 516/2024, which updates the Argentine Civil Aviation Regulations (RAAC) to remove the maximum age restrictions of 60 years old for single-pilot flights and 65 for multi-pilot flights.
ANAC stated in the resolution that the decision had been made in response to requests to increase the age limit for pilots flying solo in aircraft used by commercial air transport companies.
This also applies to aircraft “that require a pilot and co-pilot both within the national or international territory”, ANAC continued.
The new resolution reflects the trend observed in the civil aviation regulations of various countries to “increase the age limit for the holder of a pilot’s license to exercise his powers in commercial air transport operations on national and international flights”, ANAC said.
The age restriction for pilots is based on mental and physical health considerations, as well as the stringent requirements for knowledge, experience, and expertise set by the aeronautical authorities.
“With advances in medicine in general, and the need to have pilots to meet the growing demand of the aeronautical market, it is necessary to reevaluate the age limit at which pilot’s license holders can exercise their functions,” the resolution concluded.
On November 20, 2024, a group of US senators addressed letters to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Anthony Clare, Chargé d’Affaires of the US Mission to the International Civil Aviation Organization (USICAO), urging their support for increasing the mandatory retirement age for commercial pilots.
5 comments
Canada has had no age limit for decades; no issue for safety.
Age has little to do with fitness for flying commercially; the most monitored profession in the world; also the profession with the best record.
Time for the US Congress to stop regulating things it doesn’t understand, and for ICAO to stop nonsensical “Recommendations” “Recommendations” that ICAO’s own extensive research show as pointless.
Pilots have line checks, in the airplane, once a year. We go to the simulator for 2 days of training and a check ride every 9 months. We get a medical every six months. We get an EKG once a year. There is no reason pilots who are in good mental and physical health should not be able to fly until 70. After that, perhaps more mental acuity checks should be made.
This is flatly wrong and so are some of the comments.
I have been an airline pilot for over 30 years and I say with firm certainty that pilots should not fly commercial airlines after the age of 60.
Of course, many are ok on a daily basis, on a normal flight and we have a lot of experience, but with a lack of sleep and tiredness, on top of some long flights and an emergency situation, a pilot after 60 or even 65 years old, has no , (there may be exceptions but this is the rule), the freshness and cognitive ability to tiredly react in an emergency as you would before.
I was a US Navy pilot, and have been an airline pilot for over thirty years, I am currently an international check pilot and can say with firm certainty that pilots should be able to continue to fly as long as they continue to prove competency in continuing qual training and pass medical exams and EKGs every 6 months as they now do
I do agree, the mandatory age limit should be removed as long the medical evaluation is ok and your mental capacities are fine! And I am also flying as an airline pilot for decades.