FAA warns US Congress against hiking airline pilot retirement age

The head of the US FAA told Congress in a letter on Monday that lawmakers should not raise the mandatory retirement age of airline pilots to 67 from 65, saying it should first be allowed to conduct additional research. "It is crucial to provide the agency an opportunity to conduct research and determine mitigations," FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said in a letter first reported by Reuters. The US Senate Commerce Committee is eying a potential hearing on Thursday to consider its own version of the aviation bill to extend the authorization of the FAA. "When it comes to raising the pilot retirement age, the FAA has made clear that a scientific and safety analysis must come first. That has not happened," said Senator Maria Cantwell, the committee chair. "Aviation safety is paramount, and now is not the time to take a shortcut." The US House in July voted 351-69 on an aviation reform measure that would hike the mandatory retirement age to 67. "We strongly encourage preceding that type of change with appropriate research so that the FAA can measure any risk," Whitaker added. A separate letter from Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to Congress on Jan. 26 said the FAA "currently has no data to support such increase to the retirement age." He warned that raising the age to 67 would be "above the international standard and will have consequences for US air carriers."<br/>