Can you be too short to be an ATC?

[wandrews]

After reading with disbelief that people who are too tall can be thrown off the course, can the opposite also apply?

What would be the reason for refusing someone who is too short? Health & Safety or workstation setup?

If anyone has information about the "accepted" minimum and max heights, it would be most welcome.

[FWA NATCA]

I don't know the answer to your question, but within a control tower I can understand how being of short stature could be a problem (seeing over the counters and equipment).

As an Air Traffic Controller, I don't care how tall someone is, where they are from, what religion they are, how old they are, etc. "all I care is that you can work the traffic safely and efficiently, and that I can trust you when we work together".

Mike
NATCA FWA

[Spodman]

Have worked in the centre with runts & giants, and am unusually shaped/sized myself. Not a relevant characteristic to performance.

If they can reach the buttons and use the bog they're in, and we have a "disabled" bog here (not talking about a bend-blocker here).

[AirNoServicesAustralia]

Now Spodman, I wouldn't say you were of unusual shape or size. If making an inhuman amount of bodily noises, excluded you from being an ATC then I think you would be in trouble though. Then again if being too pale and skinny excluded you, good old Ghost/MiniBus would be in some strife.:E

[Spodman]

Fair comment, have just been critisised for providing a realistic demonstration of the "vapour zone" coz we've got somebody dumping fuel...

[atcea.com]

In the "old days" at Chicago Center we had a fellow, we called him "Stretch," who was a midget (can I say that? OK, vertically challenged.)

Stretch managed to get through the "D" sides using a high-chair. However, when it came to the radar, the only way he could reach the radio switches and radar controls was to actually stand on the radar. He'd end up kicking the shrimp-boats around the scope, and in the end, he washed out.

Valiant effort, but yes, you can be too short for ATC.

[unclenelli]

Although I've never heard of anyone being denied a job on the grounds of height, I have seen height become a problem.

At a certain Yorkshire Military Airfield (soon to become a Civil Airport), a female controller read a book on the Alexander Technique (it's to do with posture and having a straight back!?!???!??) - Anyway, the main idea is to lower your height adjustable chair to it's lowest position to force you to stretch/straighten your spine. It's supposed to work in an ordinary office environment, but when you're required to see the airfield over the console, IT DOESN'T!!!!!!!!

The result : 2 Dominies head-to-head on the same bit of taxiway!!!!

[Bern Oulli]

I'm 5'4" (on a low pressure day) and the only problem I had was as per atcea.com's tale (I never actually stood on the radar though). As it only happened while doing my cadet training and I was ultimately posted to Stansted it never became an operational problem. Did have to stand up quite a bit to see over the TWR desk though. For current Stansted workers I'm talking about the old Stansted tower.