Great article for middle-aged pilots - Keeping that edge.

[FunInAviation]

Another great blog article by Rod Machado.

The Middle-aged Aviator (https://rodmachado.com/blogs/learning-to-fly/the-middle-aged-aviator?aff=173)

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0519/7057/files/MiddleAgedAviator_large.png (https://rodmachado.com/blogs/learning-to-fly/the-middle-aged-aviator?aff=173)

[raytoews]

I understand the concept. I too have flying anxiety having done most of the stupid things you can in an airplane,,,except the final one.
I put it down to age, when I was 20 I saw my life as a long stretch out ahead of me,,,,now I am seeing the end and would like to stretch it out as loooonnng as I can.
But,,,I continue flying safe in the knowledge that I will NOT do any of the aforementioned stupid things again.
That and I am phobic about finding out why others make the final mistake. As has been said "learn from the mistakes of others, you won't live long enough to make them all yourself".
I teach and try to pass on my wisdom to my students, and of the 40 I have taught, so far so good.

[Frank Giger]

While I'm middle aged, I'm a new pilot, so a lot of the apprehensions just aren't there.

As a plus, there are a couple of pilots at our airfield in their 70's who still go up and perform aerobatics. Going around the patch in a simple manner seems quite pale in comparison.

[mikey]

I have been flying 50 years. gen av, military, airlines. I am more anxious when I fly these days, but only around the airport. Seems like I am seeing way too many untoward, unwarranted and downright dangerous flying by other pilots on the field and in the pattern. Perhaps it is only my perception, but it sure seems real.

[Bill Greenwood]

I once went to a forum at Sun N Fun where a CFI advocated pilots over 50 switching to a fixed gear airplane like a C 182. I thought this forum was one the least useful ones I have ever heard at SNF or Osh and it didn't appeal to me, nor did I follow his advice. I would rather focus on being a better pilot not lowering my standards and accepting less advanced flying. At my best a few years back I think I was a pretty good pilot, in what I do, sport type planes, some acro, formation, lots of cross country and even out of country flying and several different types of airplanes including high performance ones. I think I'd certainly give myself a B+, maybe and A-, with the exception of instrument flying which although I am rated and pass IPC each year, I am not really master at it and rarely fly in actual real IMC. I think Im about a C+ as to instruments at my best and so I really dont plan to fly like that.
Anyway one of my assets was great eyesight, really fighter pilot eyes, once had 20-10 vision then 20-15, and mostly I try to fly carefully and leave safety margin and a way out. As I am older my vision is not quite as good in low light or when tired,but I have so much more experience and I think maturity and judgement make me a safe pilot in some ways that I wasnt before. Safe flying is very little about quick reflexes or coordination, we are not hitting a 90 mph fastball we are making decisions.