Evening star., 1950-12-03

Capt. Proctor didn't stay re.
: tired for long. He is back with
/ American as ground instructor.
/ If the pros and cons Of thi.
question Of age-retirement ane
J health-hazards were limited tx
these two nearly identical "ovel
SO airline pilot histories, the odd.
. would appear in favor Of the sc
group as personified by Capt
Proctor. Unfortunately. it is not
that elementary. Settlement o1
the problem fairly and equitably
to the pilots. the airlines and the
! public at this period of divergent
views, calls for a super-Solomonic
arbitrator.
Old Ones Safer?
He not only would have to deal
with tons Of statistics on life ex-
pectancy. aircraft performance
and airline operations, but or
questions Of pilot pride, personal
: hardship cases, company pilot
obligations: Government-pilot OBJ
legations, national defense and the
J economic problems of the airlines
, unable to afford pilot retirement
income protection. He would also
} need to handle a delicate senti-
mental situation and take some
action to prevent destruction OF
: a delicate sentimental belief held
by cautious segment of the pub
lie that the oldest pilots are the
safest pilots: fact that they are
still alive after flying all through
the pioneering years is compelling
testimony for that belief. Or, Of
fer conclusive proof that after
a certain age, "old" pilots are
unsafe"
There are now about 80 active
airline pilots between the ages of
so and SO flying regular runs
They are considered by the CAA
medical examiners, the airlines
and themselves as fit and able
for the exacting and specialized
task OF scheduled airline opera
tions. There also are about $50
in the As to 40 age group: nearly
a thousand in the 40-44 bracket:
around $500 between 35 and SO
and close to 5000 who are 80 to
"a years of age. The younger set
numbers about 2.100 and they are
between 20 and 20.
The average age Of pilots VOL
unfairly dropping out of airline
service in anticipation of funking
their next physical examination
due to an ailment not responding
to treatment or who were denied
license renewal for physical dis
ability is now AZ. according to the
ALPA. Airline pilots who have
died from natural causes in the
past 20 years number Al and the
number killed in airline flying
accidents for the same period is
close to 800. (These vital statistics
are not geared to age groups)
However, along with tension
and nervous strain, they are
characterized as hazards of air.
line flying" by chief advocate of
the age-50 retirement plan by
ALPA's hard-driving president
and founder. David L. Behncke of
Chicago, pioneer airmail and air.
line pilot who was reelected to his
1lth consecutive two-year term at
the convention early last month
Dave Behncke has driven many a
hard bargain for his "boys" with
the Government and the airlines,
but so far he has been unsuccess-
full in driving his pilots into COM
plete agreement on the 50-year
retirement deal.
Pilots Problems
Too many personal tangible and
intangible problems stand between
their Endorsement of the "prin-
ciple" of so and their forming a
solid front to make it a part OF
every airline collective bargaining
contract or to gain it through leg
islation. The lack of unity among
the pilots-and they've had the
matter before them for over two
years-is attributed in part to
those who purchased expensive
private insurance and retirement
income plans years ago, are still
paying on them and therefore
cannot afford to participate in
any cooperative company plan.
Then there are pilots who now
participate in company plans es-
tablished in the last decade who
don't want to upset or reduce
that retirement protection much
as they would like to see the age
limit cut to so land a higher con-
tribution toward retirement by
the companies). Others around
the so mark with no protection,
and who live in constant fear that
their next physical examination
will be their last, are Indifferent to
any long-range retirement plan
ming.
One of the first to establish a
pilot retirement income plan is
United Air Lines, whose Coop
, erative effort became effective
January /, 1941. Under it, pilot
who joins the plan at age Is and
contributes continuously until he
retires at age 60, would receive a
pension of $4,700 per year. This
is based on a salary figure of &c.
900 per year in the latter part oi
his career.
Pilots long on the United pay
roll when the plan became effec-
tive and who joined it then will
+, have a retirement income of be-
tween and thousand dollars pei
year. AS an example: A pilot signee
up for the plan on January l, 1941
when his age was 40 and he was
; earning $4,000 per year. He was
employed by the company wher
7 he was % and so has 10 years o1
t past service (since his 30th birth.