Guest: Skip Frenzel, CSA, CFP®, Airline Captain (ret.), senior-focused educator & LTC insurance pro
Seb sits down with Bay Area legend Skip Frenzel, whose first act took him around the world as a Flying Tigers/FedEx pilot and whose second act has been all about serving older adults. He shares cockpit stories—Category III auto-lands, lightning strikes (three, with the same captain), MAC troop charters, and flying big iron into places most of us only read about—then pivots to the practical: long-term care (LTC) insurance basics, why timing and health matter more than most people realize, and what “purpose” looks like after 60 when joints ache but curiosity doesn’t. It’s funny, candid, and full of usable insight for anyone planning the next chapter.
Skip’s path isn’t linear. He earned his real estate license back in the ’70s, built a global aviation career on DC-8s, 747-100/200s, and the MD-11, then added a Certified Financial Planner credential and an LTC insurance license. Today he’s a Certified Senior Advisor, a longtime editorial board member for the CSA Journal, and an instructor for the SRES® (Senior Real Estate Specialist) course. That mix—aviation discipline, financial planning, and senior advocacy—lets him translate complex, high-stakes topics into calm, plain English.
On turbulence and “moments of terror,” Skip demystifies what’s actually risky and what just feels scary. Modern aircraft can auto-land in near-zero visibility, and while rough air is uncomfortable, it’s rarely dangerous when you’re buckled in. The real work is training, checklists, and judgment—habits that also show up in his advice about aging and planning.
On LTC insurance, Skip gives straight talk. Eligibility is health-driven; many people wait until they can’t qualify. Premiums are measured in thousands per year, not hundreds, and depend on levers like daily benefit, benefit period, elimination period (your “deductible”), riders, age, and gender. If you’ve ever heard “the best time to buy is the day before you need it,” he explains why the only practical answer is “while you’re still healthy.” And if insurance isn’t the right fit, the message isn’t panic—it’s plan: understand costs, alternatives, and who will do what when care is needed.
Purpose threads the whole conversation. After a medical retirement from flying, Skip didn’t chase leisure; he chased utility. Teaching other agents, writing and editing for the CSA community, and mentoring professionals who serve older adults give him structure and joy. Setbacks—surgeries, pain, slower mobility—haven’t dampened the outlook. “I filled the aviation square,” he says. “Now my square is helping others age well.” It’s a quiet reminder that after 60, identity can be a portfolio, not a job title.
Memorable lines:
“Hours of boredom punctuated by moments of terror—training makes the ‘moments’ just procedures.”
“The best day to buy LTC insurance is the day before you need it. Since you can’t know that day, the next-best time is while you’re healthy.”
“I can look back at flying with gratitude. Now my purpose is helping others.”
If LTC is on your radar, talk to a trusted advisor before a diagnosis takes options off the table. If you’re craving more meaning, borrow Skip’s playbook: teach, mentor, volunteer, or simply show up for someone who needs your expertise.
Reach Skip
Phone: 408-984-6661 • Find him on LinkedIn or on AgapeLTC.com