"Reminds me of looking at old photos of old(er) people back in the day, man 
they looked old for their age compared to today."  
 
It's obvious to those of us who flew at major airlines in the 90s that a 
generational change in health was under way amongst the pilots. Most of the 
pilots who were forced into retirement at 60 years old were very much ready to 
go. Many of them had smoked for years. It was only in the 90s that hotels began 
to have fitness rooms on the premises, and only in the late 90s did it become a 
feature in our contracts.
 
It is far easier now for pilots to keep their weight down as many of us will 
actually chose trips based on the fitness options. When you hear pilots talk 
about layovers these days you will often hear comments about the fitness 
room(yet another reason to avoid trips to LHR). It is not unusual for hotels to 
have passes at nearby 24 Hour Fitness or YMCA and the like. 
 
On the other hand, yet another generational change may have begun. In the late 
80s and all through the 90s the very comprehensive airline physical was the 
first part of the interview process, and many people did not pass it. At Delta 
they gave us a stress test. The sadistic med tech there enjoyed removing so 
much skin where he would attach the electrical sensors that I was bleeding in 
several places. No, I'm not being dramatic. It took a square foot or so of 
gauze and a bit of alcohol to clean me up afterward. The doctor wasn't much 
better. It's no surprise to me that Delta fired the lot after the "no flap 
attempted takeoff" at DFW.
 
Because of some change in the law, the physical comes later in the interview 
process and doesn't exclude nearly as many pilots. I don't know if that's a 
good thing or a bad thing but it was jarring for us older pilots to see new 
hires who weren't slender and obviously fit. 
 
Eric

> On 06/07/2025 1:56 AM EDT Michael Rurik Halaby via Mifnet 
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>  
>  
> The life expectancy for the average American born in 1900 was 40-50 years, so 
> perhaps she felt it!
> Reminds me of looking at old photos of old(er) people back in the day, man 
> they looked old for their age compared to today.  
> 
> Michael Rurik Halaby, FRAeS
> UK mobile/WhatsApp: +447711298408 tel:+447711298408
> [email protected] mailto:[email protected]
> instagram: halabyaerohttp://www.halaby.aero/
>  
> 
> On 7 Jun 2025, at 02:37, David Wardell via Mifnet <[email protected]> 
> wrote:
> 
> Hi Jack,
>  
> One final tidbit from the article:
>  
> The writer quotes AE as saying that she was thinking of wrapping up her 
> aviation exploits, as she was "getting old" at 38.
>  
> One assumes she is thinking of the rigor of her adventures, which are 
> definitely in the world of the young, but still I can't recall reading 
> anything from that era which would describe 38 as "old."
>  
> DW
> 
> David Wardell
> +1.757.561.0582 tel:+1.757.561.0582
> [email protected] mailto:[email protected] 
>  
>  
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