With more than half of U.S. aviation maintenance personnel now 45 years of age or older, increasing numbers are facing the prospect of diminished hearing and vision, and other age-related ailments.
In some cases, the hazards associated with these ailments can be managed and their harmful effects — both on the maintenance technician and the operator — can be limited, aeromedical specialists say.
Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) show that of 153,000 aircraft mechanics and service technicians in the United States in 2012, some 75,000 were between the ages of 45 and 64; an additional 5,000 were 65 years of age or older. Their median age was 44.8 years.1
Overall, the U.S. work force is getting older, the BLS said, adding that, while those aged 55 and older made up 11.8 percent of the total work force in 1992, the percentage increased to 20.9 percent by 2012 and is forecast to climb to 25.6 percent by 2022.2
“The aging workforce phen…
