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Let Experienced Pilots Fly Act of 2025
To amend title 49, United States Code, to raise the retirement age for pilots engaged in commercial aviation operations, and for other purposes.
Summary
This bill raises the mandatory retirement age for commercial airline pilots from 65 to 67 years of age. Pilots who are already over 65 may return to service until they reach 67. The bill requires pilots over 60 to obtain first-class medical certificates that expire every 6 months, and it requires airlines to continue using FAA-approved training programs. The bill also requires the Federal Aviation Administration to submit a report to Congress within 180 days on whether the age limit should be further increased.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
3 cosponsors
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to Troy E. Nehls’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Troy E. Nehls → · Outside spending →
Actions (3)
- Sep 20, 2025 Referred to the Subcommittee on Aviation. · house
- Sep 19, 2025 Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. · house
- Sep 19, 2025 Introduced in House
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Text versions (1)
Bills are re-published as they move (Introduced → Reported → Engrossed → Enrolled …). Each stage below is a separate text; pick two to see what changed. Data from Congress.gov.
Full text
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 19, 2025
Mr. Nehls introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
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 of 2025”.
SEC. 2. INCREASED RETIREMENT AGE FOR PILOTS.
Section 44729 of title 49, United States Code, as amended by section 107 of division Q of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (Public Law 117-328), is further amended to read as follows: “Sec. 44729. Age standards for pilots
“(a) In General.—A pilot may serve in multicrew covered operations until 67 years of age.
“(b) Covered Operations Defined.—In this section, the term ‘covered operations’ means operations under part 121 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, unless the operation takes place in—
“(1) the territorial airspace of a foreign country where such operations are prohibited by the foreign country; or
“(2) international airspace where such operations are not in compliance with the Annexes to the Convention on International Civil Aviation.
“(c) Regulations.—On and after the date of enactment of the Let Experienced Pilots Fly Act of 2025, 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) Retroactivity.—A pilot who is over 65 years of age on the date of enactment of this bill may return to service in multicrew covered operations until 67 years of age.
“(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 of 2025 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 of 2025) 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.
“(h) Report.—Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on further increasing the age limitation described in subsection (a).”. <all>
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