Age-60 rule: The end is in sight

Recent implementation of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) amendment 167 to Annex 1 allows pilots from ICAO contracting states to fly until 65 yr old. In response to the new ICAO standard, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) commissioned an Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) to make recommendations on whether the FAA should retain or amend the Age-60 Rule. Unable to reach a consensus, the ARC formed two working groups and submitted two position papers with opposing views. After reviewing the ARC's report, the FAA has decided to move toward raising the mandatory retirement age for airline pilots from 60 to 65. In this article, we provide a brief review of the ICAO's amendment to the age limit and discuss the various implications of this new international standard.