Controller Medical Restrictions

[200hr Wonder]

Here is a question for all of you out there:

I have a friend in a wheel chair, who is an avid aviation buff and is interested in becoming an ATC. Being a paraplegic would that nix his ability to hold and maintain the required medical for ATC? I could see perhaps it causing a problem in a cab such with a VFR tower controller or an FSS controller but what about an ACC situation?

[NJ]

I believe there is someone in a wheelchair who works at Boundary Bay. I guess it would be a measure of ability of arm movement, ability to look in all directions in a tower environment, etc. An ACC wouldn't have those limitations, but still requires quick hands and lots of observation of strip-boards, screens etc. Many cabs are large enough that they have a full set of stairs that can accommodate a wheel chair lift.

It would all be up to the doctor to sign off on the cat 2 medical.

[husky]

I believe there are folks in wheelchairs that work in both towers and ACCs in Canada.

[200hr Wonder]

Thanks for the quick answer guys, I will let my friend know to go ahead and apply and see what happens.

[grimey]

Yea, one of the controllers in the Vancouver area is a paralympic athlete. So being parapelegic with full upper body mobility won't prevent you from becoming a controller.

http://www.tc.gc.ca/CivilAviation/Regse ... t42402.htm

2.1 The applicant shall be free from

(a) any abnormality, congenital or acquired; or

(b) any active, latent, acute or chronic disability; or

(c) any wound, injury or sequelae from operation

(d) any effect or side effect of any prescribed or non-prescribed therapeutic medication taken.
(amended 1999/03/01)

such as would entail a degree of functional incapacity which accredited medical conclusion indicates would interfere with reliable performance of duties within the period of validity of the licence.

Paralysis would fall under that, but it's the degree of the paralysis that is important.

[robshelle]

Definetly get a medical first, you never know. A couple of years ago I had two prospective students (still going through the SHL application process) come through my tower for a tour. One was a very large person(obese) with heart issues of some sort, and the other admitted that she had to take 4 years of high school due to a car accident that left her with some permanent memory loss. Now, I am not a doctor, but I would suspect that both of there candidates might have problems obtaining a CAT 2 medical, perhaps I am wrong though. Either way, find out first if you can medically do this job, otherwise a lot of effort and dreams can go down the toilet awful fast.

Rob Benusic, CYEG Tower