life expectancy of ATCO

[BravoMike]

Hi,

Has anyone a "real" study (or a link towards) about the possible life expectancy of air traffic controllers?

greetings,

Mike.

[Ninja Controller]

I don't know if there are any specific to controllers but I have seen various studies which suggest that shift workers, on average, last about 5-10 years less than those who work 9-5.

Living in an area populated mostly by elderly retired folk and having to tolerate their busybody shenanigans, news of such studies doesn't bother me. I never want to get to that age!

[aluminium persuader]

Old controllers never die -

they just issue "delay not determined"!

:E

[FantomZorbin]

Some time ago I was told that the 'actuarial life expectancy' of an ATCO was 67yrs :sad:

All those over 67 ... you're winning :ok:

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

My first Watch Sup at Heathrow is in his 90s and he was a wartime pilot too.

[Dan Dare]

Half way through my working life (I hope!!!) and lost 3 from the cadet course already:eek:

We were always told limited life expectancy was the reason CAAPS was doing rather well. These days it seems to be being turned in to a Ponsi scheme and I'm not too hopeful of being one of the lucky ones.

[Lon More]

When i started at LATCC back in the 60s I was told nobody had made it to 65. I suspect they meant most got out early. Worryingly I saw a lot of cancer cases in the last years. Much higher than the average which is puzzling considering annual medicals. Does anyone have any stats on this

[Andy Mayes]

I seem to recall an investigation was launched at the Thames Radar/SVFR ops room (when they were at Heathrow) because there were an usually high number of serious illnesses, the one I knew of was terminal there may have been more? I never did hear the outcome of that investigation.

[BravoMike]

Yep, heard several stories like that... But no one can confirm it with a study or statistics...

Anyway thanks for sharing... And... If you come across a study please let me know!

Grtz

mikey

[Minesthechevy]

Bren - 'B'A by any chance?

[Talkdownman]

shift workers, on average, last about 5-10 years less than those who work 9-5
oh blimey...

the 'actuarial life expectancy' of an ATCO was 67yrs
Oh Blimey...

an investigation was launched at the Thames Radar/SVFR ops room (when they were at Heathrow) because there were an usually high number of serious illnesses, the one I knew of was terminal there may have been more?
OH BLIMEY... (there were three that I know of)

HD, got any of your medicine to spare...?

'B'A by any chance?
I'll tell 'B'A you wrote that...
He was on Javelins.

My current SATCO is aged 79, APS-valid and capable. So he's definitely winning...

Thanks chaps, thank you so very much. Keep taking the tablets....

[Lon More]

we had one done at Maastricht almost 20 years ago and were only told, "Nothing to worry about." by a person who was known to be lying whenever his lips moved.

[DC10RealMan]

I suspect that it is a shiftwork thing rather than an atco thing and that is why I took the hit on the pension and "bailed out" at 51.

After four years of retirement (regular sleeping pattern and eating) I never realized how tired I was with accumulated fatigue over many years and I suspect that the employers know that but don't alert their employees to the fact.

[anotherthing]

I think it is only a problem if you do permanent nights in your shift instead of a mixture of spins.

I used to and it was only when I started mixing things up a bit that I realised how tired the nights made me - residual tiredness more than anything as I always recovered well after a nightshift (or thought I did), getting by with the sleep I got on unit plus a couple of more hours at home in the morning.

The shifts we do in NATS are, I believe, the least intrusive - two nightshifts in ten days is less tiring than going out on the razz on a Fri and Sat night when working Mon-Fri.

Working spins is easy - and I find sleep patterns are not affected.

As for illnesses and cancer - I know from friends and family not in ATC that the incidence of both is as high outside. Remember in the case of cancer, detection rates are rising which is why we hear of it more often. In days gone by, people died and then, when they were cut open (if at all - the old and infirm are usually not), the cancer was fund after the fact.

However I d agree with DC10RealMan - get out as soon as you can - any job, not just ATC must impact on you the older you get. No point in working yourself to an early grave when you can be spending your pension!!!

[samotnik]

What do you call a 'spin'?

[Jim59]

samotnik What do you call a 'spin'?


As a pilot something that impacts possible life expectancy.

[Brian 48nav]

If you mean Bunny,guessing not quite 80 - as Heathrow book states he retired in '93. He was on Meteors at Odiham with 247 Sqn in '52 (according to Air Britain history of 247, which shows the very young Fg Off D R Austin in 2 photos!!).

In fact he was mentioned at LATCC C Watch 'Old Farts' reunion last week by the very spritely John Nicolson - who was on NF Meteors.
Other old stagers included soon to be 86, Pete Hazeldine, a very fit looking 82 yr old Eddie Bragg,sprogs in their 70s Gerry Broad,Colin Rivington,Dave Brown and John Munday.
Last year there was a guy who at 90 is still a hockey umpire! Mike B something.

What worries me is that seeing so many fit retirees the CAA Pension Fund may run out of dosh!!

[chevvron]

3 of us ex NATS at the FISO unit where I do part time, the oldest is approaching his 70th, I've just turned 64 and the other got out early and is still under 60.

[LeftBlank]

In reply to the original post-there are plenty of studies that have proved a higher than average mortality for shift workers.I remember management at LATCC getting very concerned about one years ago.Any results for pilots and controllers as a group are always skewed because of the requirement to pass a medical to remain working means on average a slightly better physical fitness,diet,not smoking etc.That and a higher than average desire to get the job done leads to statistics that show less time off for sickness than the general population.
You'll always get the odd person who lives to a ripe old age despite smoking drinking and cleaning nuclear reactors....it's the majority that would prove something.
Interestingly when I left ATC after years of 6 on 3 off and nights every cycle my overall health and sleeping improved quickly and dramatically even when having to report at 0500 some days in my new job.
Mrs LeftBlank was shocked the difference not doing nights and those early earlies led to both our lives.

[aldegar]

Any studies about the deadly combination I'm going through now?: working on shifts PLUS having baby/small chilldren at home not letting you rest or getting a decent night sleep :bored:

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

I was talking about Geoff Large...

[ex-EGLL]

Glad to hear Geoff is still around, it's 31 years since I left Heathrow, and he was "old" then :oh:

[Talkdownman]

it's 31 years since I left Heathrow
Glad to hear that you're still around, B!

[WorkingHard]

Why would an ATCO's life expectancy be any different to the average in the population? Average may be affected by shift work for example but surely nothing specific to the life of an ATCO. Am I missing something?

[ex-EGLL]

Glad to hear that you're still around, B!

Still around M. Retirement is great, slumbing it down in NZ for 6 weeks after a week in the Cooks!!

[terrain safe]

Surely it depends on how much they P off the ATSA?

[magicarpet]

The ATCO lifestyle carries health risks which controllers would be wise to mitigate.

Being comfortably off affords ample opportunity for over indulgence in foods that are bad for us. It is easy to spend the working cycle relying on ready meals that are high in salt and saturated fat. Sugar-laden treats are never far from the operational environment. Do all controllers ensure that the proportion of vegetables and fruit in their diet is healthy? As controlling is a sedentary task, ATCOs should also exercise regularly.

The ATCO shift pattern may not necessarily be unhealthy in itself, however in today's busy culture, it can be tempting to go to bed too late the night before morning shifts, or to take inadequate sleep between night duties. A sustained period of inadequate rest will lead to a long-term sleep debt from which physical side-effects are likely.

Although the job is wrongly perceived as inherently stressful, psychological factors could play a role due to the personality traits shared by many ATCOs. The bad-tempered, road rage-like feeling of "headset syndrome" when our desire for order and conformity is disturbed could be a manifestation of stress, and would be unhealthy if allowed to accumulate unchecked over a long period.

Finally, aerodrome controllers’ exposure to aircraft fumes and proximity to radars and aerials might also have adverse effects.

Everyone should consider the effects of the combination of their diet, exercise, rest, psychological well-being and environmental factors, and take positive steps to take care of themselves as best they can.

[Minesthechevy]

Magicmushrooms, oh, sorry, I meant carpet.

Did you use psychobabble like that to get your Meeja Studies degree? Do you actually work in ATC? Or have you spent too much time yourself inhaling the very fumes you think that aerodrome controllers are exposed to?

Sorry, gotta go, QRM, my mate the little green man tells me it's time to get mitigated by an 4nal probing.

[On the beach]

"Finally, aerodrome controllers’ exposure to aircraft fumes and proximity to radars and aerials might also have adverse effects".

Yeah, but the view's great, mate. And that Jet A1 aroma, mmmm. :E

On the beach, watching contrails.

[matsATC]

On the beach, watching contrails.

Be careful, those might be chemtrails! Not good for life expectancy either... :E

[Minesthechevy]

OH NO!!! Not the dreaded chemtrails again. You'll have every wierdo and conspiracy theorist in here by tomorrow.
:ok:

[On the beach]

"chemtrails"

No no no, it's chemtrials. :yuk:

[rodan]

Thanks for a thoughtful and interesting post, magicarpet. Don't be discouraged, some of us are listening.