Page 6 - June24T

Flying High During the Go-Go Years
Position Report
by Dianne White
Stephen and Joanna Bobko-Hillenaar with their trusty Aviat Husky.
Retirement advisors often break up the post-career years into three distinct periods: the go-go years, the slow-go, and the no-go. The idea is to align your life
goals and expenditures with these three phases.
If you haven’t heard of this concept, here’s a quick review: The go-go years represent the first 10 years of retirement when most of us tend to be in good health, able to travel, pursue hobbies and enjoy activities we didn’t have time for earlier in life. The slow-go years are the middle period of retirement when many of us will give up certain activities in favor of those that require less energy and stamina. Many will put away the snowboard and reach for their walking shoes. The last phase is no-go years when physical activity slows down further, leisure travel decreases and medical care increases.
I am at the cusp of my go-go retirement years, and I am thinking more and more about how my flying will change for the better, meaning I will be doing more of it. The window of max continuous power in the left seat is
4 • TWIN & TURBINE / June 2024
here, and my husband and I want to make the most of it. As some of us painfully know, insurance underwriters are taking a more pessimistic view of the aging pilot. Many find it challenging to retain coverage for their turbine aircraft past age 70 and impossible by the time they reach 80. I know many pilots still flying past age 80, and their experience in the cockpit means they are among the best sticks out there. However, insurance has dictated that they sell their turbine planes and downgrade to something slower (not necessarily safer) and with a propeller out front. For those who see flying as an indelible part of their identity, the finality of giving up the left seat will
be one of the hardest days of their lives.
So, let’s make the most of those go-go years!
With time, resources and an aircraft available, this is the
chance to plan some “bucket list” trips and experiences that only a general aviation aircraft can provide. Recently, I spent some time with one of the nicest couples in aviation who, in my opinion, have gamed the “go-go” mindset.