Dr. Mark D. Sherman MDPA Flight Physicals
Mark D. Sherman MD
Senior Aviation Medical Examiner
140 Piper Boulevard
Port Orange, Fl 32128
To Whom it may concern: I have long pondered the wisdom of mandatory pilot retirement at age 65. Isince age 68, not because I was incapable but because the current health care system saddened me.
I have wondered about mandatory age 65 retirement as a senior FAA medical examiner for the last twenty four years, having examined thousands of airline pilots, business jet pilots and general aviation pilots. My opinion is my own and in no way represents the FAA position.
I have lived through the era of age 60 retirement and now the age of 65retirement. I believe that the adoption of these mandates was completely arbitrary. I believe there is little objective evidence to justify these measures. I have seen young pilots who did not meet FAA standards and have seen some middle aged pilots who did not meet requirements but mostly with close special insurance scrutiny, they are able to continue to be certified and continue to be safe pilots. Those that cannot meet standards are refused recertification and stop flying.
I am comforted as time moves on that our 60 year old pilots are medically safe and consent to scrutiny every 6 months including physical exams andekg tracings. If any disqualifying conditions are discovered, the pilot isgrounded and requires significant evaluations before returning to flying.This has worked well for our pilots and can certainly work for them beyondthe arbitrary age of 65.
If the mandatory retirement age is extended, some will stay and some will avail themselves o f retirement at whatever age they decide they have had enough. While there have been some anecdotal moments of pilot incapacitation, they are extremely rare and did not result in calamity while the other pilot flew the plane to successful landings.
On balance, the public's interest will be better served by keeping our most experienced pilots in the flight decks while they mentor the new generation of pilots we will all entrust with our safety as time goes on. In my opinion,there is no justification to push out our most experienced pilots while there isa system in place to monitor their health as closely as it is done.
Mark D. Sherman MD, JD