[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4452 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4452
To amend title 49, United States Code, to raise the retirement age for
pilots engaged in commercial aviation operations, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 30, 2026
Mr. Graham (for himself and Mr. Kelly) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 49, United States Code, to raise the retirement age for
pilots engaged in commercial aviation operations, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Let Experienced Pilots Fly Act''.
SEC. 2. INCREASED RETIREMENT AGE FOR PILOTS.
Section 44729 of title 49, United States Code, is amended to read
as follows:
``Sec. 44729. Age standards for pilots
``(a) In General.--A pilot may serve in multicrew covered
operations described in subsection (b)(1) until attaining 67 years of
age. Air carriers that employ pilots who serve in covered operations
described in subsection (b)(2) may elect to implement an age
restriction to prohibit employed pilots from serving in such covered
operations after attaining 70 years of age by delivering written notice
to the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration. Such
election--
``(1) shall take effect 1 year after the date of delivery
of written notice of the election; and
``(2) may not be terminated after the date on which such
election takes effect by the air carrier.
``(b) Covered Operations Defined.--In this section, the term
`covered operations' means operations--
``(1) under part 121 of title 14, Code of Federal
Regulations, unless the operation takes place in--
``(A) the territorial airspace of a foreign country
where such operations are prohibited by the foreign
country; or
``(B) international airspace where such operations
are not in compliance with the Annexes to the
Convention on International Civil Aviation; or
``(2) by a person that--
``(A) holds an air carrier certificate issued
pursuant to part 119 of title 14, Code of Federal
Regulations, to conduct operations under part 135 of
such title;
``(B) holds management specifications under subpart
K of title 91 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations;
and
``(C) performed an aggregate total of at least
75,000 turbojet operations in calendar year 2019 or any
subsequent year.
``(c) Regulations.--On and after the date of enactment of the Let
Experienced Pilots Fly Act, subsections (d) and (e) of section 121.383
of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, shall be deemed to have been
amended to increase the age listed in such subsections to 67 years of
age.
``(d) Applicability.--
``(1) Nonretroactivity.--No person who has attained 65
years of age before the date of enactment of the Let
Experienced Pilots Fly Act may serve as a pilot for an air
carrier engaged in covered operations unless--
``(A) such person is in the employment of that air
carrier in such operations on such date of enactment as
a required flight deck crew member; or
``(B) such person is newly hired by an air carrier
as a pilot on or after such date of enactment without
credit for prior seniority or prior longevity for
benefits or other terms related to length of service
prior to the date of rehire under any labor agreement
or employment policies of the air carrier.
``(2) Protection for compliance.--An action taken in
conformance with this section, taken in conformance with a
regulation issued to carry out this section, or taken prior to
the date of enactment of the Let Experienced Pilots Fly Act in
conformance with subsection (d) or (e) of section 121.383 of
title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect before such
date), may not serve as a basis for liability or relief in a
proceeding, brought under any employment law or regulation,
before any court or agency of the United States or of any State
or locality.
``(e) Amendments to Labor Agreements and Benefit Plans.--Any
amendment to a labor agreement or benefit plan of an air carrier that
is required to conform with the requirements of this section or a
regulation issued to carry out this section, and is applicable to
pilots represented for collective bargaining, shall be made by
agreement of the air carrier and the designated bargaining
representative of the pilots of the air carrier.
``(f) Medical Standards and Records.--
``(1) Medical examinations and standards.--Except as
provided by paragraph (2), a person serving as a pilot for an
air carrier engaged in covered operations shall not be subject
to different medical standards, or different, greater, or more
frequent medical examinations, on account of age unless the
Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration determines
(based on data received or studies published after the date of
enactment of the Let Experienced Pilots Fly Act) that different
medical standards, or different, greater, or more frequent
medical examinations, are needed to ensure an adequate level of
safety in flight.
``(2) Duration of first-class medical certificate.--No
person who has attained 60 years of age may serve as a pilot of
an air carrier engaged in covered operations unless the person
has a first-class medical certificate. Such a certificate shall
expire on the last day of the 6-month period following the date
of examination shown on the certificate.
``(g) Safety Training.--Each air carrier engaged in covered
operations shall continue to use pilot training and qualification
programs approved by the Federal Aviation Administration.''.
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