Helicopter pilots should be able to operate commercial passenger flights up to the age of 65. This is the conclusion of an independent study commissioned by the European Aviation Safety Authority EASA. According to this, pilots over 60 pose no additional medical safety risk. The study supports the Swiss Helicopter Association's call to raise the age limit for commercial passenger flights from 60 to 65 years again.
Professional pilots aged 40 and over must pass a medical examination every six months. These studies already provide early indications of possible cardiovascular problems, writes the new EASA study. Pilots with a very low risk of such problems could continue flying up to the age of 65 without safety concerns.
The cognitive abilities of pilots over 60 should be reviewed as part of the already prescribed, six-monthly flight skills test, and further long-term studies should examine the health factors affecting the flight safety of pilots aged 63 and over.
The expert group comes to the unequivocal conclusion that the age limit for commercial passenger flights should be raised back to 65 years. In any case, 50 to 70 percent of all medically related cases of unfitness to fly could not be prevented by a lower age limit.
Discriminatory rule without safety gain
According to current EASA regulations, helicopter pilots may only operate commercial passenger flights up to the age of 60. This regulation discriminates against pilots over 60 and their employers without increasing the safety of flights.
The Swiss Helicopter Association (SHA) has therefore been demanding that this regulation be abolished for years, as experienced pilots provide the best guarantee of safe flight operations and medical monitoring of professional pilots is already very close today.
Switzerland currently has a temporary exemption, which allows pilots to operate passenger flights up to their 65th birthday. However, this expires in 2020. According to this, there is a risk of enforcement of the discriminatory rule, which would have drastic, adverse consequences for those affected and their employers.
The EASA study underscores the Swiss Helicopter Association (SHA)'s view that passenger flights with pilots up to 65 years of age can be carried out safely, said SHA President Martin Candinas at the industry association's general meeting.
The SHA is demanding that the Federal Office of Civil Aviation and EASA finally adjust the regulations and convert the temporary exemption applicable to Switzerland and other countries into a definitive provision.
At the General Assembly, the President and the re-running members of the Executive Board were unanimously re-elected. The Board consists of National Councillor Martin Candinas (President), Hansruedi Amrhein, Renato Belloli, Patrick Fauchère, Heinz Leibundgut, Andreas Meier, Christian Müller and Dr. Philipp Perren. The managing director is Philip Kristensen.
Link to the study
The study “Age Limitations Commercial Air Transport Pilots” can be viewed at the following link:
www.easa.europa.eu/sites/default/files/dfu/easa_rep_resea_2017_1.pdf
Christian Gartmann is the communications and media officer of the Swiss Helicopter Association (SHA).