Little adjustments you've made as you age

The recent thread about having to wear readers when flying made me think of another adjustment I recently made due to age. I noticed that my landings weren't as soft as they used to be, and I wasn't sure why. Then, I noticed that, as I flared, I was losing sight of the runway over the panel just before touchdown. I had heard that the spine compresses by about an inch as a person ages. I checked my height and I have shrunk by about that amount.

My Flightline seat cushions came with a 1" thick booster which I tried. What do you know, I never lost sight of the runway, and my landings immediately improved. It seems obvious that if you're losing sight of the runway, you should raise your seat, but gradual changes can go unnoticed.

Another adjustment to my plane was to install Allan Nimmo's EZ Exit Bar. Best money I've ever spent on an assessory.

John

Simplify

As I have gotten older I have reduced the amount of info in the cockpit. I used to like and look at lots of data. Now I seem to just want the important stuff very simple and easy to find/read. Of coarse the type of flying I do has simplified as well. I am extrapolating that when I get to 70 I will just want a couple of round steam gauges and a compass (and an EZ exit bar).

Age

If I didn’t have that EZ exit bar, I would need a crane. Both knees, total replacement. I have the strength but not the flexibility to bend beyond 90 degrees to get out of the 6.

-Instead of flight planning 4 hour legs, they are now 2.5, max 3 hour legs.
-I try to avoid head first under panel work like the plague.
-Setting tie downs are no longer a quick & easy task.
-I have less luggage carrying capacity in my plane now.