After flying his Iron Maiden around the world on Ed Force One , Bruce Dickinson recently told the Associated Press that he will be giving up his job as a pilot during the band's upcoming tour.
Although the news may cause some sadness, the Iron Maiden vocalist explained that he is very close to the retirement age for pilots and prefers to take the passenger seat this time.
“We’re going to fly and I’ll be in the back seat,” he says. “I’m 63, I’ll be 64 in August. You know that when you get to 65, if you’re an airline pilot, they retire you, right? So I’ll be in the back being the driver in the back seat.”
According to the Federal Aviation Administration and the International Civil Aviation Organization, commercial pilots must retire at age 65, but currently there is no age limit for becoming a private pilot or an Air Force pilot.
Bruce Dickinson obtained his pilot's license after learning to fly in the 1990s.
READ ALSO: Bruce Dickinson admits he still has stage fright: "I keep a copy of the song lyrics"