Night Shifts

[middles]

Does anyone know if there are any ANSPs which have a maximum age restriction for ATCOs working night shifts?

[aldegar]

Not in AENA (Spain)

[Goldfish Jack]

Not in SA either

[Tarq57]

Heard a rumour a few years ago that Canada has a limit. About 46 IIRC.

The way I heard it was that it was discretionary; that is, if someone older actually wanted to work a night-shift (recall, whatever) they could, but nobody over the set age was required to work them, and should not be rostered for same.

No link or further info, sri.

[Not Long Now]

Any particular reason why being older and night shifts should be mutually exclusive?

[Tarq57]

They aren't, really. Well, not to me, anyway. (I'm getting fairly practiced at coping with them.)

They do represent a potential fatigue issue. And there are links to health issues, also, including decreased lifespan.

Like a few (usually more enjoyable) things, recovery seems to take a little longer the older you get.

[loubylou]

I wish there was!
I did think there was an age limit in Spain though - but guess not now

louby

[Conspiracy Theories]

i am not sure but i did hear a rumour that at MAAS, anyone over the age of 45 (i think) do not have to do night shifts if they do not want to. They can do them if they wish to do them but i think that the younger more able to cope with them are rostered the nights.
Again, i am sorry if this information is incorrect but there could be some truth to the rumour just maybe the figures are wrong.
Please correct me if there are any MAAS controllers here.

[Plazbot]

I don't think the angle of them being tougher on older people is the most important part but staff retention is. If you were able to retire in the next few years and someone told you that you did not have to work any more nights it just may keep you around a touch longer.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

At Heathrow I once went for eight and a half years without working a night. On my watch those of us who detested nights equalled those who hated days so a quick swap and all was hunky dory.

[eastern wiseguy]

Not a dig.....but

I once went for eight and a half years without working a night.....what was there to do at night at Heathrow?

Nights are a royal PITA however my own personal bugbear is morning shifts...trailing myself out of bed at 0455 is getting harder and harder....I am 54 and can hardly WAIT to be out!

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

<<.....what was there to do at night at Heathrow?>>

Very little in Approach, apart from Mr Plod flying round London half the night. The Tower was busy when I first went there, but dwindled down to just the very rare aircraft movement plus lots of tugs and other vehicles on the airfield.

[Spitoon]

trailing myself out of bed at 0455Every minute counts!

I'm with eastern - it was the mornings that were the killer for me. Not been working shifts for many years now but still miss the lifestyle it offers - that more than made up for the days when I struggled out of bed in the cold and dark or needed matchsticks to keep my eyes open on a slow N.

[Roffa]

.....what was there to do at night at Heathrow?

Can be a bit to do at the start of the night shift then not much in the middle.

In recompense though you get to work your arse off at the end of the night shift in the 6am to 7am period.

[250 kts]

After around 25 years of nights and approaching mid 50s they are getting harder and harder to recover from. The lead up is psychologically challenging knowing that sleep deprivation is waiting for the next few days. I only manage to sleep for around 4 hours even after the 2nd night and then rarely manage later than around 8.00am 24 hours after finishing them. If there was a way out of doing them I would jump at it immediately but no chance at the moment.

[middles]

I suppose the question revolves round the 'safety' issue in that, is a controller over fifty, say, sufficiently recovered after one nights working to be fit for working a second,and if not, should legislation be in place to stop this?

[anotherthing]

I was of the understanding that the older you are, the less sleep you need.

Always seems that way with people I know.

[Flybywyre]

Depends on how many beers you have had before you go to bed :ok:

[le Pingouin]

You might need less sleep but you don't have the reserves of energy & resilience of a 25 year old to push on through either.

[Lon More]

Depends on the shift pattern. Morning and night on the same day were the real killer for me. I needed the rest day and the 2 off days to catch up.

Just checked, Maastricht UAC has no age limit.