long term effects of being an airline pilot

B

bobbylee123

Pre-Flight
Joined
Dec 18, 2023
Messages
34
Display Name
Display name:
bobbylee123
For those nearing retirement, have you noticed any health issues associated with being a pilot?

The ones that concern me:

- UV radiation
- cosmic radiation
- bleed air
 
I'm not an airline pilot, and only briefly considered a career change to it years ago.....
Also, I have considered just anecdotally if I thought it would be a good career choice for my kids, if they were interested.....

So I've not given this topic a whole lot of thought, but things I'd probably have higher on my list than the issues you mention...well UV risk might be highest, but otherwise (this based on my experience of travelling a lot for work sitting in the back of airliners)
physical and mental stress from:
* sedentary travel lifestyle - back problems from sitting to much, bad diet, poor metabolic health​
* upsetting/chaotic schedule - poor sleep schedules, family life or lack thereof, hotel living, etc...​
* boredom - cumulative hours spent sitting and waiting for hotel buses, parking lot buses, layovers, security lines, hotel check ins, etc......​
* monotony - flying the same bus route over and over and over day after day all month​
​
This not to say that I think it's a bad career choice necessarily....because I do imagine a lot of good sides to it as well....
 
Years of flying the line is hard on your health in many ways. The constant time zone changes, and flipping your work schedules is harder than you realize. Working all night this 24 hr period, followed by working all day the next work period, and then flip that back again numerous times in a month. Constant time zone changes. What that means is your body never really acclimates. So you have dinner for breakfast and breakfast for dinner. Doesn't seem like a big deal but is screws with your digestions in ways you would never believe. You get constipated, then everything breaks loose in a bad way. People deal with it in different ways. The constant noise is bad. Amazing climate changes are bad as well. The stress is a killer. Probably your own application of stress with extreme peer pressure added for good measure. You must try to control your diet, and you must get excersize. Sometimes that's almost impossible. The hotels don't want you in the gym at 03:00. Bad hotels and lack of quality sleep. You never really get rested, until your off ofr several months at a time. Even after retirement it follows you. My sleep schedule will never be decent. I've largely gotten off Rolaids and Nexium since I retired. Thats just a start on all the health issues.
 
I'd be more worried about the chemtrails.

If your age is correct, I wouldn't worry about any of it...
 
Last edited:
I am retired but not from an ATP job so take it with a grain of salt. Some of my closest friends are though and in general as a cohort of my retired friends they are the happiest.
Part of it is money, as they have done okay and had at least a plan…having to take FAA physicals at least made them routinely aware of their health and maybe helped along the way. Most have had long term relationships which I feel also helps. Just the benefits of NonRev travel and interline discounts for most make travel and leisure a deal.. It’s what my wife and I enjoy. Seems the turnover is so low compared to other professionals…I am married to a flight attendant as well…she still works but not very often. The flexibility of the job where she can manipulate her schedule and works 4-5 days a month at most. As long as she can do that she probably will continue working for something to do. Money in reality is not a factor…she just enjoys it.
 
Oldmanb777 said:
The hotels don't want you in the gym at 03:00.
Click to expand...
I am a working pilot, though not an airline pilot, and stay at a lot of hotels. I don't think I've ever stayed at a hotel where the gym isn't open 24 hours. I haven't yet seen one where anybody cares what time you're at the gym.

I agree with the need to get exercise, though. When I started this job last year I gained about 20 pounds in the first couple of months. I've got it halfway back down now, mostly by making sure I go to the hotel gym (regardless of time of day).
 
OP, Post 5 and 6 will get you heading in the right direction on this topic, but the hole goes deeper. PM me and i can share some links/candid takes im not interested in debating publicly here.
 
There are lots of rumors about airline pilot health but statistically pilots live longer than the average.
 
Warlock said:
... Seems the turnover is so low compared to other professionals…
Click to expand...
Because it's a union job and seniority means everything in regards to routes, vacations etc, etc. Once you have 5 or more years in it's difficult to justify jumping ship for another carrier. You'd have to start all over again.
 
Warlock said:
I am retired but not from an ATP job so take it with a grain of salt. Some of my closest friends are though and in general as a cohort of my retired friends they are the happiest.
Part of it is money, as they have done okay and had at least a plan…having to take FAA physicals at least made them routinely aware of their health and maybe helped along the way. Most have had long term relationships which I feel also helps. Just the benefits of NonRev travel and interline discounts for most make travel and leisure a deal.. It’s what my wife and I enjoy. Seems the turnover is so low compared to other professionals…I am married to a flight attendant as well…she still works but not very often. The flexibility of the job where she can manipulate her schedule and works 4-5 days a month at most. As long as she can do that she probably will continue working for something to do. Money in reality is not a factor…she just enjoys it.
Click to expand...
The stable relationship is certinly a key but a good many seem to collect former spouses as a hobby. With the current yield management and frequent flyer programs NonRev travel is not a benefit. If my wife and I want to fly somewhere we purchase a real ticket to make sure we can get on the flight.
orca64 said:
Chances are your children will never know that soap comes in big bars, too.
Click to expand...
Shampoo too.

As alluded to the varying time zone, noise, vibration, pressure and climate change factors leads to chronic fatigue. There are mitigation strategies that have varying degrees of success but those I know look (mostly retiring off of international flying) younger starting a year or so after retirement.
 
Or, you can be too old (like me) to even consider the career. The FAA mandated cutoff (mandatory retirement age) is in my rear-view mirror. BTW, retirement is the best job I've ever had.
 
If I’m not 100%, my ears get messy quick. I think as a professional pilot I’d have to learn to take more sick days off. Whereas in the office I’d just go.
 
farmrjohn said:
NonRev travel is not a benefit. If my wife and I want to fly somewhere we purchase a real ticket to make sure we can get on the flight.
Click to expand...
I agree it’s not like it used to be but looking back over the last year I have NonRev’ed 25 legs 10 of those are international with eight of those in business. Forget domestic with all the upgrades…but I am lucky living near a major hub and privileges on both United and American. To say it’s not a benefit I would disagree but being retired and flexible we plan around loads and travel at the spur of the moment.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top