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GITT

PRESENTED TO EXECUTIV BOARD 5/21/47

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ON AIR LINE PILOTS' RETIREMENT SYSTEM 

INTRODUCTION

The major problem of a retirement system for air line pilots is that of a relatively short working life. Most persons engage in occupations in which they can begin work at 19 or 20 and work on to 65 or 70 or even more. To be an air line pilot, however, requires a long period of training, a very high degree of specialization, and experience which cannot be secured in a short period of time. The average age which pilots have begun work as such for an air line employer has been, in recent years at least, about 27.

On the other hand, the air line pilot cannot continue in his occupation long enough to compensate for the long training period. On the contrary, he probably cannot look forward to any employment in his line after he reaches 50, and he may be disqualified by his employer or by the Civil Aeronautics Administration even before he reaches 50. Twenty-five years Is a long working life for an air line pilot.

Once a pilot is disqualified for his occupation, he experiences obvious difficulties in securing other satisfactory employment. Indeed, if there should be a repetition of conditions which prevailed in the 1930's. he may find it impossible to secure work of any kind after his flying days are over. Some pilots can be usefully employed by the air lines in non-flying jobs, but that will not absorb very many. Whatever work an ex-pilot might be able to secure would probably be temporary and certainly would yield a relatively low income.

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