James Oberstar: “I was very interested and pleased to hear that the chairman of the appropriations subcommittee mentioned the Sioux City…”

“I was very interested and pleased to hear that the chairman of the appropriations subcommittee mentioned the Sioux City, IA crash. People walked away from that crash for a couple of reasons: The seat strengthening that was required on all aircraft, to 18 G forces, that kept those seats in place and saved 110 lives; and for the skill of that pilot in managing this aircraft when he lost all control surfaces. Capt. Al Haynes, who flew that aircraft, is very strongly in support of the age 60 rule. I do not think it was the intention of the chairman to imply that he was opposed to the age 60 rule, but it is very clear that Capt. Al Haynes supports the age 60 rule and wants it to remain in place. This issue has been studied to death. We do not need to waste more dollars and the precious resources of the National Transportation Safety Board on another study. In 1979 Congress directed NIH to study the age 60 rule. The Institute on Aging, the Institute of Medicine, the National Academy of Sciences conducted the research, prepared the report, completed it in 1981, and recommended keeping the age 60 rule and extending it to commuter pilots--1981.”