"Older pilots have more accidents."

A

Albro

Filing Flight Plan
Joined
Jan 23, 2006
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16
Thought this might stir up some comment here. Todays "Plane and Pilot" e-news letter references a study made by the Associated Press which concludes the number of aviation accidents increases with pilot age. They analyzed five years of FAA and NTSB accident data to reach their conclusion. According to their study, for instance, pilots over age 60 make up only 14.7% of all licensed pilots, yet are responsible for 23.6% of all accidents. Pilots over age 50 make up 36.8% but account for as much as 55.8% of all fatal accidents. These are stastics for GA accidents. According to the AP article, the "general aviation world is taking note" and you have to wonder where that would lead in the future.

I know AOPA is undertaking it's own study of this topic at present and am anxious to see what they conclude and how they present their findings. We all know that as we grow old we lose certain efficiences and I wonder if there may be ways an older pilot may finally accept the fact and seek ways to overcome these deficiences, such as delayed reaction time, maybe through a specially designed retraining program? AOPA could take the lead there, I'd think.
 
The NTSB did a similar study, probably with more accurate statistical methods, and discovered that age at the beginning of training is more significant than current age. Thus, older pilots who started young are significantly better risks than older pilots who started in middle age. IOW, experience is more important than age.
 
What percentage are older pilots of the general pilot population? When you look at who owns the nice planes, it usually is th guys in their 50's and 60's, because they are usually the ones with the most expendable cash.
 
Without hours flown information, the numbers are meaningless, as you can't assess the exposure to risk.
 
Ken Ibold said:
Without hours flown information, the numbers are meaningless, as you can't assess the exposure to risk.
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What? You expect the Associated Press to pass on a sensationalistic story on some fine point as insignificant as statistical validity? ;)
 
Ken Ibold said:
Without hours flown information, the numbers are meaningless, as you can't assess the exposure to risk.
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Exactly what I was going to say. Who is doing the most flying, therefore exposed to the most risk?
 
Ed Guthrie said:
What? You expect the Associated Press to pass on a sensationalistic story on some fine point as insignificant as statistical validity? ;)
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Oh, darn, Ed. You're right. What WAS I thinking?!?!?!?
 
Data tortured long enough will confess to anything.
 
Pilots flying more hours in aircraft are definately more likely to have accidents in flight.
 
Older pilots, flying more demanding aircraft (high performance retracts) that they can afford and flying more because they can afford the operating costs are likely to have more accidents than people flying baxic aircraft less hours.

However, at age 65, I notice that I fatique sooner and performance declines with fatigue.
 
Steve said:
Old people tend to die sooner than young people.
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Perhaps, but it's a little known fact that the longer you live, the longer you're gonna live. IOW, if you are 40, you have X% chance of living to 80, but if you are 70, your chances of living to 80 are Y%, where Y > X. Or maybe a better way of putting is, if you are 40, your chances of living to 100 are practically nil, but if you are 99, your chances of living to 100 are > 50%. So, getting old is extremely healthy.:goofy:

Judy
 
Graueradler said:
However, at age 65, I notice that I fatique sooner and performance declines with fatigue.
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I haven't quite gotten there yet, but I hear what you're saying about fatigue. Also I find that my attentions span seems to get .........
 
I want to die in my sleep like my Dad, not screaming like his passengers!
 
Steve said:
Old people tend to die sooner than young people.
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Do you know how it feels to have Sierra Mist come out your nose?

Fortunately it is diet so it won't gum up my keyboard...
 
bstratt said:
I want to die in my sleep like my Dad, not screaming like his passengers!
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I'd rather die at age 102......
Shot while being chased by jealous husband.
:yes:
 
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