Another thought occurred to me.
I haven’t piloted an airplane for decades. But as far as I know, my private pilot license is still valid (they don’t expire). If I renewed my medical certificate, which only requires a visit to a doctor, I could legally get in a Cessna 172 tomorrow and fly it. That’s assuming that the owner of the airplane didn’t require taking me for a checkride.
That’s one difference between private vs. commercial aviation. There’s far less oversight by the government. It’s up to individuals to verify that the aircraft has been properly maintained and that the pilot is competent.