ATC Medical

[veloo maniam]

Hello Guardians of the Sky.....
How do you guys prepare for your medical check especially if you
are 50 and above. Replies appreciated in advance.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Not a lot one can do. I used to go on a diet to lose weight for a couple of months beforehand but, in those days, I was fairly fit...

[eastern wiseguy]

I always hope for (non life threatening) medical retirement:p

Hasn't happened yet though:bored:

[man friday]

A week on Mineral Water seems to do the trick for one of my workmates....

[flowman]

Cut down to two pints a day.

[radarman]

mf,
None of your workmates would last more than a couple of days on mineral water. That's if they knew what it was in the first place :E

[veloo maniam]

One week on Apple Cyder
One week on chewing cloves
last three days on young coconut water
this seems to be the menu that some of
my colleagues are on. I do not know about
the fat in the blood but it sure does lower
the sugar level. Oh yeah..a little bit of fasting
and 30 mins of sweating does the trick(at least a week).
BTW what kind of tests are carried out by the doctor?

[Roffa]

Make sure I'm wearing clean underwear on the day in question.

[crash323]

Hey guys

When doing the medical, do you have to sign a waiver to give the doctor full access to your medical history? or is it simply a case of you telling them everything they ask and thats it?

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Can't speak for now; someone is bound to answer. Back in the dark days one had to provide the name and address of one's GP and I know that the CAA medics were in touch with my GP, both by letter and telephone, at various times. If you're thinking of hiding something, DON'T because peoples lives may depend on it...

[veloo maniam]

In Malaysia, the doctors (aviation specialists) are nominated by the DCA and a copy of the medical report is sent to the ATS Inspectorate for filing. Therefore nothing is hidden.

[Batfink79]

A friend of mine had his Class One medical done at about this time last year for his pilots license.

When he was much younger he suffered a quite serious injury and the CAA looked into every nook and cranny regarding this injury, which delayed his Class One being issued by quite a while. The conclusion I came to from my friends experience, is that they are very thorough and the do indeed contact you GP and look at your medical history.

Hope this helps

[Tarq57]

veloo maniam
Just a bit curious as to where you're coming from, since you seem to know the procedure already. Are you asking for the requirements, or asking what "tricks" we might use to assist in passing? (There are no tricks, really, just be as reasonably fit and healthy as you can.)

As stated above, nothing is hidden. The regulator's medical officer will have any required access to past medical records. The questions are comprehensive and cover all elements of medical history; it pays to keep a copy of the declaration filled out so that it can be referred to for future examinations. (Otherwise, how on earth do you remember that you visited a doctor 2 years previously for something minor? Especially when you're 50+?)

Everything is weighed and measured and listened to. Breathing function is tested. An ECG and blood pressure test are performed. Medical history is analysed (and it seems they are particularly interested in family histories of neurological and cardiac disorders).You need to state your alcohol and tobacco consumption, and the use of any other drugs, prescribed or recreational. A pee sample is tested. Plus the routine hearing and eyesight tests. Any irregularity in the result is cause for more tests, usually. Every so many years after a certain age an audiogram is required. In our part of the world there is also a blood test. (Cholesterol).

Preparation I carry out?
Be well exercised for a few weeks before the test. Eat sensibly. Check body and spectacles are clean for the test, and the bladder is going to be full enough to provide a sample.

[veloo maniam]

Tarq57...Greetings from Malaysia. I am a Area Radar Ctler in KUL ATCC
and just discussing preparation methods for those who are 50+ .
I see these days a lot of them are worried before their medical and seem to 'prepare' oneself before the medicals. How these 'local' preparations help the Ctler is something that really needs verification. However it seems to work for the one or two I have talked to. Yes, our tests are very stringent and all those tests mentioned by you are carried out over here. Cheers:)

[Tarq57]

Hi, Veloo.

I don't know...I'm just another guy fighting the effects of early middle age, but it seems to me that the longer you want to keep your license, the more sensible your food, drink and exercise choices should be.

That's hardly unique advice, of course. Nor do I apply it unconditionally to myself. I had to do a stress ECG last year. Mainly because I smoke, and that, combined with my age, puts me right into that zone. (Apparently I'd have to have something approaching zero LDL to not need the stress ecg.)

Surprisingly, the medic suggested I get myself on cholesterol-lowering drugs. Most users of these see a significantly lower cholesterol level. Personally I think they're the invention of the devil incarnate, and would prefer to just eat a diet that revolves around plenty of good oils (and animal fats), vegies, good quality protein, and avoidance of processed oils/transfats, homogenized milk, and artificial sweeteners etc. Definitely devilish, that lot! I've done a fair bit of research into that area. I don't trust the regulatory health authorities to decide what is healthy for me. Not at all.

Next time I have to do that I'll get a bit fitter, first, and be a bit more insistent that the technician performing the test stops sanding my chest down with emery paper before breaking through to the ribs. Man, that stung.

What sorts of things do the guys you spoke to do, to prepare? I'm quite interested.

[niknak]

How do you guys prepare for your medical check especially if you
are 50 and above.

The medical certificate keeps our licences valid, hence enables us to do the best job in the world, get well paid and live a very comfortable life.

Keeping fit enough to retain the class one certificate is a doddle compared to getting the licence and validating each rating.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Well said, niknak, very well said..

[xinebessa]

Just a quick one.. from what I gather the class 3 must be renewed every 2 years as an ATCO (I just had my initial one done a couple of days ago). Do I have to go through the whole medical every 2 years or just parts of it? As I noticed that on the certificate it says certain aspects are valid for 4 or 5 years..

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

You go through most of it. ECG and Audiogram are not carried out every time. After about 30 years you get used to it!!