If you could only find a job that paid by the word....
--- "Robert E. Shlafer" <pilotrob@webtv.net> wrote:
> "....why did you retire?"
>
> Not a choice, Larry.
> Airline pilots are "force" retired in accordance
> with the "age 60 rule" originated in 1957 and
> contained within
> appropriate sections of Federal Air Regulations.
>
> In spring of 2001, the House passed a bill that
> would have upped this to age 65. It
> was to be passed by the Senate 9/25/01
> but Osama hit us "9/11" at which point
> the Senate got busy with other business,
> the airline industry began it's financial
> tumble, layoffs began and this bill "went
> away".
>
> Otherwise, I would still be terrorizing the
> friendly skies and all concerned. Though
> God only knows where I would have ended
> up domiciled, considering my seniorty number and all
> the furloughs. Probably
> be commuting to DFW from present home.
>
> I took almost 2 years off after retirement.
> One gets bored with hanging out, working
> on the Frogeye notwithstanding. And you
> gotta watch spending time in the bars with
> friends. It can get to be a bad habit....and
> expensive......and I don't mean just $$.
>
> So, I was raised by a working man (owned
> his own biz) and have worked since age 11.
> Worked all my life....though as a regional airline
> pilot have really "been on vacation"
> for the last 20 years, despite being away from home
> a good part of the time. I mean
> I love flying, and best of all "scheduled"
> flying...it wasn't really "work" for me. More
> like a 20 year holiday, really.
>
> And I'm getting older. I'm in good shape at
> the moment but at 63, less than excellent
> health may very well be in the cards. A
> "just around the corner" (no commuting time/costs)
> with a Fortune 5 corp. with excellent bennies that
> also involves low-key aerobic activity would be
> ideal.
>
> (And being home every night with regular
> hours and a decent sleep schedule is not
> a bad thing healthwise. Despite being able
> to do what I love to do, I've had 30 years
> on the road with irregular and often short
> sleep/rest periods at least 4 days out of every
> week!)
>
> Well, that's what I got thanx to two
> high school buddies holding exec. positions with GE.
> And 32hrs. qualifies as "full time"
> with respect to bennies. That's only 4 8hr.
> shifts. And the place of work is beautiful,
> along with excellent food at the employee (read
> "low, LOW prices!:) cafeteria. I'm a voluntary
> bachelor after all (though I can boil water:).
>
> It's not just $$$, Larry. I'm $$$ comfortable.
> For me it's psychologically healthy to have
> SOME obligations to others while I remain
> actively involved (to some extent) within life's
> mainstream. And being a "working" man doesn't
> necessarily mean working
> hard or not having fun working. And
> I work with a good team of guys/gals. Nice
> people! :)
>
> Retirement is a different thing to different
> people, I guess. I like my time off, but
> "Hangin' around gets OLD" as far as I'm
> concerned.
>
> Cap'n Bob
> Basic Frog
Ron Soave
"Nobody goes there anymore, it's too crowded." - Y. Berra
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