Jerry, I haven't ridden with my aunt in years, but I would say she should NOT have been driving.  But she didn't have much choice, and I'm sure she thought she was perfectly capable.  In her younger years, she and my other aunt (her sister) had the only car in their little group of women friends.  They drove all the little old ladies to church, to the store, wherever.  She was a capable driver.  But that was then.  Had State Farm insurance for 54 years without an accident.  I think that says something.  But how do you tell an old person when it is time to hang up the keys?  A few years ago, WV started vision testing any time you renew your driver's license.  I did it in July.  At least this does help catch some older folks whos vision has gotten worse.  Worked on my father-in-law, because he couldn't pass the test.  Maybe they need a reflex test of some sort.  One of those simulated driving booths... see how folks react to deer, children, unforeseen obstacles.... wouldn't that be interesting?
 

Jerry
I haven't talked to her, and I need to check on her, but I don't think she will be driving any more.  It scared her in a big way (as well it should have)

Realistically, how long do you think you will be able to fly?  What will be the prime factor that makes you stop?  Might be something good to discuss with your daughter, so she can "gently" say "Dad, this is the time you told me would come..."

Jerry Eichenberger wrote on 11/16/10 at 06:54:39:

Jerry don't you have to pass a physical every year ? or is that just for
commercial pilots ?

Mick -

Physicals are required for some operations and not others.  Here is the basic rule:

1.  Airline captains, every 6 months with an EKG every year after age 40.

2.  Other commercial pilots, like corporate pilots, airline co-pilots, once every year, no EKG required.

3.  Private pilots every two years, unless under age 40, then every 5 years.

4.  Sport pilots require only a valid driver's license, no other physical required.

6.  For gliders and balloons, no physical of any kind required; pilot self certifies.

The physical for private pilots is the easiest, for airline captains the toughest, and for other commercial pilots it's in between in difficulty.

For a typical private pilot physical, as long as your heart is normal, your urinalysis shows no sugar or albumin, hearing is normal, and eyesight is correctible to 20/30; you pass.

The physicals have to be administered by FAA approved doctors who are called Aviation Medical Examiners.  Any doc can be approved by taking a course in the basics of aviation medicine that the FAA puts on in Oklahoma City that lasts for 4 weeks.

So, the docs who go thru that training generally do it out of the love of flying.  Taking 4 weeks off work, plus hotel and meals for 4 weeks ain't cheap, and the physical generally costs the pilot about $150 at most AME offices, plus the EKG if required.  Most all AMEs are pilots themselves, although the FAA doesn't require them to be.

Of course, the main thing they look for is any heart issue that could result in sudden incapacitation.  A pilot can get re-certified after a heart attack, by-pass surgery, or stents, but he/she has a lot of testing to do every year.  The only thing that is an absolute no-no is mental illness - develop that and the pilot is finished.  Mild depression doesn't disqualify for life, but the pilot must wait 5 years after getting off all medications and cleared by his treating doctor.  Any more serious mental issue like attempted suicide or psychosis disqualifies for life.

The FAA has gotten a lot more realistic in the past 10 years.  Now an insulin dependent diabetic can get certified as a private pilot, but not commercial.  He has to test his blood sugar every hour while in flight and if it reaches a certain level, he must land at the nearest airport and dis-continue that flight, and be grounded until he stabilizes again.

You can get waivers for things such as being one-eyed by passing a little flight test to show the FAA that you have the depth perception needed to make a normal appraoch and landing.

People who are color blind can fly, but not at night, because at night the colors of the position lights on the plane indicate which way it is going, and runway and taxiway lights are color coded, and control towers use colored lights, like traffic lights, in the event that the airplane has a radio failure and can't talk to the tower.

Hope that basically answers your question.

Go ahead Jerry you can call me a little smartass,I know you just said that,didn't you ?