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You'd want that because a college degree is a 4-year delay during which the human body ages. Everything gets worse with age: hearing, eyesight, neck strength (n

You'd want that because a college degree is a 4-year delay during which the human body ages. Everything gets worse with age: hearing, eyesight, neck strength (needed for high-G pilots), etc. That cuts the career by 4 years, meaning that a larger portion of it is training and a smaller portion is being useful. There is then an incentive to let excessively older people keep flying, meaning a reduction in the physical standards (eyesight, etc.) for the people who fly that $150 million dollar jet. Good eyesight matters more than college gunk like "Art Appreciation" and "Intro to Humanities".

aristophenes 8y ago
This is a strong argument, but that 4 year delay also helps you mature and figure out how life works and become more independent and self-sufficient. A 19 year could do a great job I'm sure. I know a guy that was flying combat missions in Vietnam at that age. From what I hear he was a phenomenal pilot. I think he made some decisions he wouldn't have made if he was a little older though. Also I have a feeling the older guys can handle the G's ok, better than a lanky 18 year old who hasn't gotten his man-physique yet. With the technology we have I think I'd rather have an older, wiser 40 year flying my F-22 than a 22 year old, but maybe I'm wrong, I have no stats for their relative performance.