That is the problem with old farts, especially those wearing diapers one, that they tend to forget that the world moves on and your experience are considered outdated. The world don't revolve around old farts for their experience to shine.
Outdated knowledge is not the main problem here, he still wouldn't get the job even if his knowledge is 100% contemporary and relevant. The key issue is at such a junior level, in what way would his supposed 44 years of experience add any value? As a supervisor of a small team of entry/junior technicians, all an employer really needs is 6-8 years of actual technical exp and another 3-4 years of team lead exp. A 35 year old supervisor can do the same if not better than a 60 year old supervisor.