Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-02-19
Buzz the Tower

News must have been scarce
for The Sunday Star to use
the technicalities of airline
pilots physical examinations
as page-one scare material.
l imagine that some readers
will have great confidence
when they see that one of
an airline's most experienced,
but necessarily older captains
is to be their pilot.
If more physical checks are
needed, I don't believe the
pilots will object. However,
the teehnicalities and pro-
cedures would be up to the
FAA and might be best I'M
attended by a firSt-class scare
page one spread.
A few cheerful thoughts
might be in order regarding
pilots over SO.
Your readers should know
that an airline captain, over
so or otherwise, has not had
a particularly hard life. Cen
orally he doesn't have nearly
the struggle or worries that
the average business or prof.
fessional man encounters to
achieve the same degree Of
success.
The pilot has been well
paid. He has the security of
a rigid seniority list backed
by probably the strongest Of
all unions. He is routinely
scheduled for ample time for
relaxation, without worry,
which does so much to keep
a man young. The rigors of
his plotting job have become
as routine as he is proficient
at it.
One of the first things a
pilot learns is to relax while
flying. This becomes routine,
interesting and healthful.
In the beginning the pilot
was selected and screened
from groups of high physical
qualifications. He has had
to guard his health because
he knows his living depends
upon it.. The law steps in to
help, along with the good
life and good pay. His en-
ployer cannot call upon him
for extra work (even if the
union would agree) unless he
has had sufficient rest and
relaxation, all according to
intricate rules.
Considering these things,
it would not be surprising
to find that airline pilots
over age so are really ten
years younger than their con-
temporaries in other business
or professional groups, ex-
cept movie stars.
If a pilot over so. or maybe
even over go, can pass both
his physical checks and his
flight checks, I would say
more power to him-and most
particularly at $4,000 per
year.
Robert E. Trimble.
I have noticed a trend most
reprehensible and obnoxious
to me-that of kicking
around and attempting to dis
credit the airline pilot group.
To be specific, three state
ments have been published
about my group which 1
would like to refute.
/. A statement that air.
line pilots are receiving $28,-
900 to $4,000 per year. I
personally know over 800
pilots and / have yet to shake
the hand of one who is any
where close TO those figures.
In 1919, I was accused in
print of making $4,000 when
my actual salary was $4,000.
q. An advocation by that
sage of aviation writer's,
Wayne w. Parrish. that pilots
be prohibited by law from
striking an airline when con-
tract matters reach a stale
mate but instead be forced
into binding arbitration. Are
we still operating a democ-
racy in the United States?
If not we World War II
veterans poured out a lot
of blood and tears for moth
ing.
8. An article in The Sunday
Star February Is quoting Drs
Lederer, Smith and Nc
Farland advocating retire
ment of airline pilots over Sc
years of age and also tests to
determine the physiological
and psychological fitness OF
the pilot group. This stuff is
strictly poppycock and they
know it. They are striking
while the iron is still hot
after a 59-year-old pilot ha!
participated in a fatal &C.
cident at La Guardia Airport
flying q recently introduced
airplane with an untested al.
timeter instrument.
let's Keen these head.