Apparently I did the right thing in buying a plane that lands well with 80 KIAS approach speed until short final. I’ll hope to be flying it for years to come, my years are still below the clean stall speed 
A guy I know who flies the same type as me just turned 80. He bought his in the mid-1970s and has had it ever since. He had throat cancer 20 years ago and now sounds funny on the radio… it doesn’t seem to hold him back.
Locally, my closest flying friend will be turning 78 in June, has put 1750 hrs on a new Lycoming since completing his RV-8 in 2001 and hopes to wear it out before selling the plane. He thinks flying several days a week over a sixty year period will be fine.
I am also in the age range you are describing.Still keep my MEIR and SEIR but every now and again I think of changing horses to the ULM. Most of my flying friends are either the same age or older. One at 78 has just designed, and built his own motor glider and is going through testing. Another friend, well into his eighties now still flies his Beech 36. He is an ex astronaut and I believe is currently advising the Chinese on their space programme. He looks a lot younger than me and can still pass the astronaut physical.
In my case, like aart I am beginning to forget things and now regularly have to dip into the books when some regulatory discussion comes up on this forum.
Actually, if I’m not mistaken there is at least one forum member that has a more impressive ratio. His age is higher than his cruise speed.
I flew a plane like that once…
gallois wrote:
some regulatory discussion comes up on this forum.
On this very forum? That would be surprising indeed.
gallois wrote:
He is an ex astronaut and I believe is currently advising the Chinese on their space programme. He looks a lot younger than me and can still pass the astronaut physical.
Well, taking the approach speed of the excess of 300 kts the Shuttle had he’s got some way to go!
A friend of mine had an instructor in Graz who was in his high 80ties at the time he did his PPL with him and who still held a Class I medical by the looks of it.
In the end, it comes down to this… there are hardly any absolute limits but in all but few cases medical ones. I do hope to stay fit enough to fly another day but well who knows. But I’d also claim that for many pilots, keeping their medical is the one reason they take much more care of their health than for many other reasons.
Need to go back to my TMG and will qualify.
That ship sailed long ago, when I fly my Super Cub. Still feeling young in other aircraft though
aart wrote:
I’ve reached a point where my age is higher than Vapp’
Ah now THAT is the reason why young guys still can fly motorgliders and, eh, matured pilots fly fast and big machines…
I have been told I will not survive to my approach speed age, but have almost reached my “Over the threshold” tailwheel speed.
Flying a Robin my speeds are in kmh so I am covered pretty much for life :D
