It's called "mandatory retirement..."

...and not many other jobs have one.

But pilots do.

For years, airline captains and first officers bemoaned this ancient and unnecessary law as they're forced to hang up their pilot goggles and scarfs as they turned the dreaded age (although, some pilots relished the fact that they were "forced" to retire).

However, it looks like that's all about to change after both the Senate and the House passed a bill that would increase that age by five years.

Senate votes to up pilot retirement age - NY Times/AP

The purpose of the bill is threefold:

First, to get rid of an antiquated law that's about 40 years too old. Really - there's no medical reason a 60 year old pilot can't perform in the cockpit, especially with a second able bodied person in the right seat next to him. All airline pilots get a medical checkup every six months, and after the age of 40 you get an EKG at the same time.

Second, to let airline pilots who are now making a lot less than they used to have a chance to earn more money - and work until social security payout age.

And Third, to give airlines a little more time from the pilots they've spent so much money on training over the years. There really is going to be a pilot shortage. My Uncle Doug was in the first round of Vietnam era pilots to retire in 2005, and lots of now-60 year old Captains are following him out the door at the moment. Which means lots of First Officers are moving up to Captain, which means lots more pilots are moving into those mainline slots from regional and corporate gigs. And when those regional Captains move up, regional F/Os take their spots - which means that flight instructors and other non airline pilots have to get hired - which takes time. I've heard from my pilot buddies that a lot of regionals are already hard up for able bodies to sit in the cockpit.