Long-term prospects

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Afternoon all,

I'm very seriously considering an application to try to earn a place as a trainee ATCO. However, I have one or two questions that, i'm hoping, you may be able to help me with.

I can see from other posts that, once qualified, as long as you keep your medical current, you have your ticket to keep on controlling until retirement. Naturally, I would want any career in ATC to last until I can retire (a good few years!) but I am hoping you can help me understand the risks of this not happening:

Do the vast majority of ATCOs pass their medicals annually and control until retirement (or such a time as they choose to end their employment)?

What are the main or common grounds for failing medical?

If you fail your medical, what happens? Is leaving NATS inevitable or do other opportunties exist within the organisation?

I should add, I have no medical concerns, just interested to understand the reality.

I hope this is not too personal and thank you in advance for any help

Cheers

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Some operational ATCOs move to office jobs but many work until retirement. For others, ATC work does not cease upon retirement from NATS. An ATC Licence is your property much like a pilot's licence and many ATCOs retire from NATS on a very good pension but then continue to work in ATC at other, possibly quieter, airfields.

Medical problems are usually heart related I believe but I also saw several lose medical certificates due to MS, cancer, deafness and visual problems. NATS has an arrangement where those who cannot be employed elsewhere are medically retired and continue to receive their full salaries. Let's hope you never get to experience those problems.