I recently learned about an amazing organization for Senior aviators called
the United Flying Octogenarians. You have to have PIC experience at age 80 or older to be eligible to join.

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Founded in 1982 by a group of 31 aviators over the age of 80, the United Flying Octogenarians (UFO) now has a membership of over 1,400 men and women. When each of our members joined, at the age of 80 or older, he or she was still flying as Pilot-in-Command. Today, many of us are no longer at the controls of an aircraft, but our love of aviation still binds us to this elite group. Link:
http://ufopilots.org/

Some of the more interesting pages on their website focus on geriatric research . Included are a number of links. Also discussed are the results of am interesting 2012 study of the UFO membership by the Purdue Aging Center .

Excerpt:

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Some of the results weren't overly surprising; 83% of us are within our normal weight range, 82% exercise regularly and only a few of us still smoke. Other factors, such as mental and social activity registered high among UFO members. In the end, the researchers observed that "staying healthy is all about doing what you love!"

With all the recent attention on Class III Medical reforms, sleep apnea, obesity, and more, the UFO website offers a refreshing perspective on health promotion and continuing to fly as PIC at age 80 and beyond. My hat is off to those guys and gals who at age 80 are still playing with a stick and rudder. [/quote]Incidentally, in 1982 when UFO was founded, Charles Lindbergh would have just turned 80 and just barely squeeked into becoming eligible. Amelia Earhart would have been 85.

So… do you think you’ll be flying at age 80?

I hope I'll still be flying in ten years but I'll never make PIC again.

Back when I leased my PA23 to the Feds, I was allowed to designate second in command to anyone who met quals. I had a guy who was 91 (med class III, perfect vision, etc...) who was an excellent crew/pilot.

Name was Bogart, he used to fly to Taiwan (From HNL) PIC (22 hours) using NDBs at Wake and Midway Islands in a Connie circa 1960s. Great individual and friend.

A shout out & a Salute to this 98 year old pilot.

http://whotv.com/2016/02/04/98-year-old-red-oak-man-may-be-the-oldest-active-pilot-in-the-world/

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RED OAK, Iowa -- A Red Oak man may soon be named the oldest active pilot in the world.

Ernie Smith, 98, is well-known around the town. He goes out for coffee with friends and family. He has his driver's license and gets around town in his car.

One place Smith likes to drive is to the Red Oak Airport to enjoy the hobby that keeps him young: Flying.

There is a great video in the link. Wonderful to watch.

As a physician, AME, and health and fitness advocate, and long distance cyclist and vegetarian this is a topic VERY close to my heart.

I see SO MANY pilots come to me for their medicals and if they treated their airplanes like they treat their bodies they would never reach their destination. Then they seem angry and surprised when they get deferred.

It's not a mystery. Don't drink or smoke. Stay at a healthy if not ideal weight. Pray to God. Limit or eliminate animal based protein and fat. Exercise daily. Manage stress. Sleep well. Stay mentally and spirtually as well as physically active. Treat existing medical conditions, and you'll be fit as long as your genetics allow.

I found this article in one of my files. “Age, Your Senses, and Fatigue.”

It’s just one article at a website called:

Whitt's Flying A compilation of information that every pilot should know

http://www.whittsflying.com/web/page2.93Age,_Your_Senses_and_Fatigue.htm

A few excerpts:

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Hearing
Humans detect from 16 to 20,000 Hz but speak between 250 and 2,0000 Hz. The sounds of most G.A. aircraft exceed 90 dB (decibels). Such sound energy is capable of actually breaking the hairs that connect to the cells in the cochlea of the inner ear. These hairs and cells are not replaceable.

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Old Age
The first sign of old age is when your medical examiner, minister, instructor, and flight examiner are younger than you are. Memory is the second thing a pilot loses. Can't remember the first. Old age, knowledge and deceit will defeat youth's skill and energy, every time. Over 60, senior rules apply. After age 26 we lose two grams of brain tissue every year. There is a decline in cognitive memory, perception, and learning ability.

The way you learn changes markedly with age. The young tend to think that they are more knowledgeable and capable than they really are. Above age 30 you begin to have some doubts and uncertainty as to just where the truth hides. By age 60 you begin to have and are feeling some physical inadequacies and your memory occasionally takes a vacation. Flying problems tend to bunch up at both ends of the flying spectrum. I learned to fly at age 42 and am past the 37-year mark now. As an instructor I am exempt from the making of mistakes. However, I am constantly doing things that check to see if the student and ATC are paying attention.

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AOPA's Aging Pilot Study will utilize the extensive research resources of AOPA The findings are expected to reveal what kinds of accidents older pilots are having, what causes them, and what actually happens to pilots' skills as they age. Today, some insurance companies are adding escalating surcharges for pilots over 60. See AOPA Online

Results:
Statistics suggest that the older you are, the harder you'll fall. FAA and NTSB records show that pilots older than 50 have a significantly greater chance of crashing than younger pilots. The stats perhaps take on even greater significance considering the fact that the average age of pilots is now 47. The accident rate went up with age, and that those in their 60s were at a roughly proportional greater risk of crashing.

Older pilots were also in more fatal accidents. Pilots older than 50 were involved in 55.8 percent of accidents over a five-year period even though they constitute only 36.8 percent of certificated pilots. And, apparently, the older a pilot gets, the greater the risk. Pilots between the ages of 50 and 59 had 26.4 percent of accidents, marginally higher than their percentage of the pilot population, which is about 22.1 percent, but those 60 and older had 23.6 percent of accidents even though they make up only 14.7 percent of certificated pilots. The research also determined that those under 50 consistently had proportionately fewer accidents throughout the five-year sample period.

I have a lot of respect for the Senior crowd and respect their wisdom and experience. I see it again and again in the comments they make at AOPA seminars, discussions at fly ins, etc. I hope we can all safely eventually become eligible for UFO membership. Just saying.

Dad turns 87 next month. U FO member. Passed his 3rd class. Usually flies 3-5 times a week if the weather allows. Got his PPL at 60. 2000 hours. (Doesn't fly in the winter because my brother takes the airplane south)

I hope I make it that long. He still lands the Cherokee better than me.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

C130Jake: wrote:

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Dad turns 87 next month. U FO member. Passed his 3rd class. Usually flies 3-5 times a week if the weather allows. Got his PPL at 60. 2000 hours.

Wow !

This is parked at 7B3...

I'm 73+ now and hope to be still flying as PIC at 80. The only issue at my last flight physical was that my cataracts prevented having better than 20-30 vision, so I had to accept a Class III instead of a Class II. Since I had the cataract surgery in the last few weeks (February 13 and March 6), I should be able to pass the Class II (with an SI) next month. I just ordered new glasses last Wednesday, to correct for astigmatism, and mid and close vision.

I also have a "big" physical once a year, which goes into much more depth than any flight physical. That was in February, and according to my doc (who is also my AME), I'm in very good physical shape--he didn't even add "for an old fart". I've never been an athlete, and I'm a bit overweight, but although there are a number of things that would be out of tolerance if I wasn't taking meds to correct them, with meds I'm OK. Still upright, as I like to say.

I think one of the things that helps keep one's thinking processes going is to push yourself. For instance, reasoning a problem out, instead of just looking up the answer, keeps the brain working better. I think participating in aviation forums like this one helps me in that regard, as it forces me to keep up to date with the regulations and ACs that affect my flying, not just what they say, but also what that means.

Regularly flying also helps, much like it did when the hours were much fewer, and that flying should be used to practice, too, not just to go from here to there. I like to do some commercial maneuvers and stalls periodically, along with different landings. I am in need of an IPC right now--have had to postpone it while my airplane is in the shop again--but that's another thing that helps. In addition to the basic IPC requirements, I always expect my CFII to challenge me with other things, too.

From my standpoint, flying a relatively simple airplane makes it a little easier, too. My airplane has a CS prop and a pretty complete panel that allows going IFR in anything that the airplane can handle, but fundamentally it's a 172, "everyman's" favorite trainer, so it's pretty easy to fly.

I look forward to applying for the UFO Club in another 7 years.

Cary

@ Cary: First of all, wishing you continued great health. I hope in 7 years you'll be putting one of those UFO decals on your 172

Here is an FAA pdf nicely summarizing in table form the requirements for the different categories of Class I, II, and III Medicals.
https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/avs/offices/aam/ame/guide/media/synopsis.pdf

Some additional Updates current as of March 23, 2017:
http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?type=simple;c=ecfr;cc=ecfr;sid=85f2f758c7572cf6fd784c355d1c55a1;idno=14;region=DIV1;q1=61.23;rgn=div8;view=text;node=14%3A2.0.1.1.2.1.1.17

Ah, what a helpful thread (both information and encouraging). Being in the nearly 70, rusty pilot category (probably more like thoroughly corroded), my observation is (thankfully) seemingly in sync with much of the advice above – within the limits of my genetics (so far so good), those who stay physically and mentally active stay physically and mentally active. I’m getting ready to take some serious refresher training, doing what is required for a tail-wheel endorsement and am happy to see that there is a whole community of way more than spring chickens willing to share their advice.

As tempting as it can be, the rocking chair is the curse of the high-mileage community.

-- Larry

DCSTRNG Wrote:

I’m getting ready to take some serious refresher training, doing what is required for a tail-wheel endorsement and am happy to see that there is a whole community of way more than spring chickens willing to share their advice.

You know Larry I am was talking to a friend today who is 95. He just took and again passed his California DMV test to be able to drive. He earned his pilot license in the fall of 1941. He is an active guy, still does ham radio, can copy morse code (CW) in his head, and of course can still exercise sport pilot privileges.

Amazing guy. Lived right down the street from and knew Bob Hoover. The take home message Larry is that 70 is the new 40

My grandfather flew his '55 180 until he was 89 and an Aerostar until 77. That is quite amazing because both of those planes are handfuls in their own right. He and grandma would fill that '55 full top to bottom and go to their gold mine in the Yukon in their mid to late 70's. L

Octogenarian pilots (I’d guess) are the exception to the rule, but not as big an exception as one might suspect given that pilots are already an exception to the general populace. Most pilots I know, while regardless of age still sharing various characteristics of the wanderlust/adventurer, are nonetheless pretty sensible – rather, going about their pastime systematically, methodically and in a generally disciplined fashion.