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?Photo from NetJetsNetJets has adopted an age limit for Part 91K pilots, removing roughly 100 of the older crewmembers from the schedule. An effort to keep the limit from going into effect has failed and as of Jan. 10, 2024, the age limit for NetJet pilots is 70 years old.
The FAA does not have any age limits for pilots outside of commercial airline pilots employed by Part 121 airlines. Currently, the FAA restriction for Part 121 pilots states that airlines cannot employ pilots once they reach the age of 65. These pilots are allowed to stay on in a different role, such as flight engineer, or fly for a carrier that is not Part 121. Now, NetJets has implemented a 70-year age restriction for its pilots and notice was given on Jan. 10, 2023. According to Aviation International News, a note from the NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots legal department revealed the new age limit impacted less than 100 pilots.
The age limit for pilots has been a debate in recent years, with talk of extending the limit. Aviation groups like the Regional Airline Association have encouraged raising the age limit to 67 amidst a post-pandemic pilot shortage. NetJets pilots tried to fight the age 70 limit, bringing forth a lawsuit after the notice was issued in 2023 to attempt to prevent the age cap from taking effect. The pilots' complaint alleged employment age discrimination but the court ruled against them, noting that they had failed to establish any of the claims.
According to Private Jet Card Comparisons, the NJASAP has warned that pilots are planning to leave if they do not get a mid-contract raise and benefits but NetJets countered by saying the company continues to meet hiring goals and replaces pilots who leave. NetJets has been discussing imposing an age limit for years. In 2018, Flying reported that a compromise plan with the backing of the NJASAP would impose retirement at age 70. The age limit was left out of the 2018 FAA Reauthorization bill but a last-minute add-in required mandatory age 70 retirement for Part 135 and Part 91K pilots that perform at least 150,000 operations annually, essentially singling out NetJets without directly naming NetJets.RELATED STORY:What you need to know about extending the airline pilot retirement age to 67
The recent bill, originally supported by the NJASAP, was a concern to the eight pilots who filed the lawsuit to stop the age cap. With the motion denied, NetJet pilots will now face the mandatory age 70 retirement limit, beginning with the first round of under 100 pilots and the number will only grow as other pilots continue to age closer to the limit.