Angelo Campanella wrote:
"Tom Conner" wrote:
The average US pilot age of all types is 45.6, and is increasing
each year.
The average age in the US of everyone appears to be increasing, not
just pilots. At least that's what I can glean from a quick look
through www.census.gov

Except for militry pilots (recuited young and "retire" early) the
pilots would have the same age distribution as auto drivers. The
population of pilots is heavily biased toward civilian private flyers
as is auto drivers. But since flying is so expensive, only the mature
and older folks can afford it, so that biases up the average pilot
age a few years. Also Airline pilots can continue up to age 60, then
they retire to the civilian category. So the average pilot age will
likely be higher than the driver age. The only thing that prevents
the average to be yet higher is that such licences are easily lost
due to medical conditions.
Angelo Campanella

I sort of agree with you but I don't believe Tom's 45.6 number segregated GA
from Airline pilots and probably doesn't count active duty military pilots
at all except those that have also received FAA certificates and medicals.
And let's remember that it is active medicals that we are counting here
because unless you really screw the pooch you still have your certificate
even if you can't use it.

So assuming some number of airline pilots retire and never fly or get a
medical again that would tend to reduce the average age of the pilot
population. And to think that the age distribution is the same for auto and
aircraft licenses is just plane wrong. How many teenagers do you know that
are in flight training or have their pilot certificate? How many get their
DL? Where I live DL at 16 is close to 80% and by 21 it is almost universal.

The new starts for flight training is down and has been for years. With
fewer new pilots the average age can do nothing but increase.