India's decision disrupts career plans of retired US pilots

India’s civil aviation authority last month stopped certifying U.S. pilots over the age of 60, disrupting the plans of pilots who’d been recruited to fly the dozens of jets ordered by Indian carriers.
Mumbai-based Jet Airways, which had hired Noonan to fly Boeing 777s on international routes, sent him home to California last month. About 30 Jet pilots have petitioned the FAA to intervene on their behalf, Marty Noonan, 61, who retired from Continental Airlines last year and who also is pursuing a Canadian license, said. They’ve also applied for Canadian licenses, a process than usually takes between 20 and 40 days for qualified American airline pilots.
“We are in the process of responding to the Indian government,” said FAA spokeswoman Alison Duquette. She adds that the FAA’s position is that “it’s fine with us” if the Indian government accepts U.S. pilots with a current license and medical certificate.
Meanwhile, Mike Ballard who is about to retire from United Airlines after a service of 29 years spends his days rehabbing a bathroom in his Colorado home and preparing to take the written exam prepared by Transport Canada, that country’s civil aviation authority.
Ballard said he needs a Canadian license to land a job with Air India that would help offset the pension he lost during United’s bankruptcy.
That’s a big change after six years as the captain flying Boeing 777s. But Ballard says he became resigned to a rocky retirement after United eliminated its employee pension plans in 2005, a move that cost him about 75 percent of his retirement pay.
30/09/07 Julie Johnsson/Chicago Tribune, United States