Heart Condition

[Halo3223]

Hi,

I'm currently in my final year of University, and would like to become an ATCO afterwards, however I have a congenital heart defect that requires replacement valve surgery this summer (pulmonary).

I have read the NATS Medical Document, and they seem to suggest that whilst these conditions would generally make you unfit for the career, there are exceptions.

Before this year I had no issues with my heart and was an active mountaineer with the university, climbing UK mountains most weekends. I also work as a Sailing Instructor and am a keen footballer, and previously have never had fitness issues. The Doctors also tell me that after the operation I will be in good health for at least 25 years.

What would my chances of being accepted be? Are these issues significant enough to disqualify me for the career?

Any advice would be much appreciated!

Cheers,

Dan

[Pat42]

I'm not a doctor and don't know anything about the specifics of your condition, but I'm going through the ATCO medical process with some different issues myself at the minute.

Generally, if the NATS document doesn't explicitly rule your condition out then you are in with a chance, but it will probably require special investigation by the CAA before they are able to decide about whether or not they will issue your medical certificate. The main concern for the CAA will be whether or not there is a risk of your condition impeding your ability to carry out the priveledges of your ATC licence - are you at significantly more risk of heart failure or other heart related complications than someone who is fit and healthy? By the sounds of it, assuming your op goes well, this hopefully won't be the case... but a lot depends on how the doctors view it, and they do tend to err of the side of caution.

If you are thinking of applying to NATS then a call to their occupational health department before you make your application might be a good idea. They'll be able to advise how they would like you to handle it (whether you should get it investigated before you apply or wait until the normal medical stage after success at selection) and possibly give a more specific indication of the likelihood of a positive or negative outcome.

Alternatively you could deal with it yourself before applying to NATS by contacting the CAA medical group directly. They'll probably have you see one of their cardiologists, which will cost you around £100+, but will get you an immediate answer and possibly save you from wasting several months of your life going through the NATS selection process for no good reason if the condition is going to prove prohibative.

Best of luck

[Halo3223]

Pat42, many thanks for your advice - I've called NATS and they've been very helpful. I'll have to wait and see what happens, but it hasn't been an immediate refusal anyway!

Cheers,

Dan

[40&80]

That just about sums it up!
You get excellent free advice from post number two and you do the opposite... and appear too mean to spend a hundred quid....just the sort of crap I always pulled....you should consider being a pilot like I is!

[G-KEST]

In 1999 I suffered what was diagnosed as a result of blood analysis and certain protein content as a mild heart attack. Since then I have had no repeat or any ill effects but take daily prescribed tablets comprising Simvastatin, Atenolol and Aspirin.
Up to 1999 I held a UK ATPL with instructor and examiner ratings along with various approvals however all these went down the tube as a result of the cardiac infarction. I was immediately grounded until 2002 when I obtained one of the first UK NPPL(SEP) and subsequently renewed my UK display authorisation.
I now part own a Skybolt aerobatic biplane with my son and thoroughly enjoy my flying on a regular basis, either solo or with another suitably qualified pilot. My medical is on the basis of self declared fitness to fly countersigned by my own GP. It is Group 1 only since, as a pensioner aged 72, I can ill afford the swingeing cost of an exercise ECG to obtain a Group 2 clearance which would enable me to carry passengers. The cost buys an awful lot of Avgas and I know which gives greater pleasure.
In any case I quite fail to see the relevance of a Bruce Protocol exercise ECG to a person of my age especially since carrying out the test for the prescribed 9 minutes might well cause me to fall sideways off the contraption and break my neck. Flying a light aeroplane makes no unusual physical demands on any individual and with over 13,000 hours I find it the most relaxing hobby possible - other than being a couch potato.
Comments and advice would be appreciated especially from AME's and the CAA Medical Department.

Cheers,

Reaper 69
:ugh::ugh::ugh::ugh:

[ITFC1]

I have just had PVR in December last year, i am currently going through the process of getting my Class One pilots medical back.

I was able to get my inital Class one, with the CAA knowing i had to have the PVR operation. Whne i first went back in about 1992 i got a staright no, but in 2005 i had my Class one issued, even though restricted to As or with Co-Pilot.

Nowadays the CAA are far more flexible, probably due to the advancement of medical procedures and history, i had my first operation in 1974, and was the first person with my type of operation to try get a class one medical back in 1992.

I am hoping that they will issue me my medical back in the next few months, like one post said, i highly recomend spending that £100-00 to see a specialist. I had to do it at the CAA's request.

One final point, they say you will be in good health for 25 years,which i hope you will, i was told before my operation, that the new valves being used are lasting from about 7-12 years, although most have been put in the left hand side of the heart, where as mine is in the right, where it will not have to work as hard so they hoping it will last longer, this is again slightly new for them, so i have no idea where they get 25 years from.

Good luck.

[ITFC1]

I hope you are still going forward with your medical.

Just to give you some hope maybe, i have been granted my JAA Class 1 medical back after my operation in December last year.

So hopefully you will one day get yours too

[josephajain]

Everything will go fine...I hope you are going through the proper medical procedure.It will help you a lot for fighting against the bad heart condition.

[stationcalling]

I was interested to read G-KEST`s article above. They found I had AF on my ECG last year. I was grounded pending Cardiologist`s investigations. I tried to do everything the cheap way, i.e. via my GP. All went well apart from the Bruce Protocol treadmill test which I failed, the other parts of the AF Protocol went OK. As I had no contract of employment pending, I did not renew my Class 1 in January. In March, however, I was offered a contract abroad on the A320 so I sent the results of my tests to the CAA and made an appointment for another Treadmill test. Did a lot better than the first time but still a fail.
Determined, and with a roster looming, I joined a gym, went on a strict diet and passed the test last month.(another £275 by the way!). I also passed my Medical renewal the following week but my AME withheld the certificate pending the go-ahead from the AMS at Gatwick.
The CAA,(and the NHS) use a CHADs scoring system and because I had a history of Hypertension, which by the way has been controlled for several years now, have placed me above the 1% risk of a heart attack. My BP is 130/70 and my Cholesterol is 3.7 and like G-KEST, I too am on Atenolol and Aspirin.
I`ve asked for an OML restriction to be placed on my Medical, which has almost 5 months left before it expires!
I have objected to their decision and am still awaiting the outcome of the letter I sent 3 weeks ago.

[homonculus]

Failed exercise ECG, AF, doing everything on the cheap?

Please go and see a cardiologist and get yourself sorted out. Then worry about your medical.