Lummis Cosponsors Legislation to Address Pilot Shortages

.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) has co-sponsored legislation aimed at improving and expanding rural air service. The recently introduced Let Experienced Pilots Fly Act addresses airline flight cancellations by raising the mandatory commercial pilot retirement age from 65 to 67. Lummis said people and businesses in Wyoming rely on small rural airports, and she constantly hears from constituents about cancellations and delays plaguing rural air service, in large part due to a lack of pilots. She said raising the mandatory retirement age to allow pilots to fly for an additional two years would mitigate some of these shortages and help restore rural air service, while ensuring we still have qualified and capable pilots manning our aircraft.

In addition to raising the retirement age of commercial pilots, the legislation requires pilots over the age of 65 to maintain a first-class medical certification, which must be renewed every six months, and requires that air carriers continue using pilot training and qualification programs approved by the Federal Aviation Administration.