As Airline Captains, First Officers, Line Check Pilots, Mentors and Passengers, we have witnessed a concerning and significant rise in close call aviation incidents in 2023. The safety of commercial airline travel has been compromised because of the increasing number of experienced airline pilots being forced into retirement at age 65 and carriers’ ongoing struggles to attract and retain top tier pilot candidates. Factoring in the loss of on-the-job training (“operational experience” or OE) by the more experienced pilots who mentor the less experienced pilots and given the unprecedented level of US air travel following the pandemic, the situation is untenable. This according to members of the Let Experienced Pilots Fly, Inc. organization. Continue reading