Scott Crossfield Dead in Crash

[poden]

Some very sad news. He was one of the greatest test pilots in the early years of jet and rocket propulsion.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060420/ap_o...ossfield_6

[Drew]

RIP Scott


However, 84 years of age flying a plane solo, now i know he has been flying along time, but surely you see ageing car drivers on the
roads, they just dont have the alertness and awareness of a younger person, so imaging that in a 'vehicle' which is much more complex.

Is there any type of age limit on flying, or once you have your license, can you just carry on flying????

[archer49d]

Commercial pilots can only be 18-60 years old, ATPs only 21-60. You can keep flying as long as you want as long as you are able to
complete at leat a 3rd class Physical (1st class is for ATPs and 2nd class for CPs, 3rd is GA). So let me give you scenarios...

Persons under 40 years of age... Getting a...

3rd Class - Valid for three years until the last day of the month it was issued in, only entitled to the priveleges of a Private Pilot.
2nd Class - Valid for one year if performing the priveleges of a Commercial Pilot, after one year it "defaults" to a 3rd Class for two years,
so for the priveleges of a Private pilot it is the same as a 3rd class.
1st Class - Valid for six months if performing the priveleges of an ATP, reverts to 3rd thereafter until expiry after 3 years.

Persons over 40 years of age...
Exactly the same, except valid for a total of 2 years instead of 3, and persons over 60 do not need a 2nd or 1st as they are officially retired
from being paid to fly.

[Airtime]

Chuck Yeager made the comment to the effect that Crossfield was always kind of a rebel, reckless to a degree. Yeager said that there is no way he
should have been flying that kind of plane in that kind of weather.

AT

[detpilot]

Exactly the same, except valid for a total of 2 years instead of 3, and persons over 60 do not need a 2nd or 1st as they are officially retired
from being paid to fly.

Not entirely true, being over 60 means you can't fly for a part 121 carrier (i.e., airline), but you can still fly for a part 135 carrier (i.e.,
charter, business jet, etc). Many airline pilots retire at 60 from an airline, and move to a company like netjets where they can continue flying as
long as they have their medical.

[cpilot]

I don't think it has anything to do with age when you have been flying that long and have that much experience it is "In your blood" as the
saying goes.
RIP Scott (this may sound harsh to some but, at least he died doing what he loves and not all couped up in a hospital bed)

[archer49d]

detpilot wrote:

Exactly the same, except valid for a total of 2 years instead of 3, and persons over 60 do not need a 2nd or 1st as they are officially
retired
from being paid to fly.

Not entirely true, being over 60 means you can't fly for a part 121 carrier (i.e., airline), but you can still fly for a part 135 carrier (i.e.,
charter, business jet, etc). Many airline pilots retire at 60 from an airline, and move to a company like netjets where they can continue
flying as
long as they have their medical.

You're right, I forgot...

135 Carriers are typically wary though to hire... as an example, a former UAL pilot with over 30,000 Hours total time, (28,000 in multi-
engine jets) who was 62 couldn't find work ANYWHERE as a 135 pilot.

[poden]

Airtime wrote:
Chuck Yeager made the comment to the effect that Crossfield was always kind of a rebel, reckless to a degree. Yeager said that there is no way he
should have been flying that kind of plane in that kind of weather.

AT

Yeah, I've heard the weather was an issue.