The certificate
Under the EU rules for air traffic controllers (Regulation (EU) 2015/340), a class 3 medical certificate is required. The first examination is done at an aeromedical centre. In Sweden, according to the Swedish Transport Agency, that is Aleris Flyg- och Dykmedicinskt Centrum in Stockholm or Flygmedicinskt Centrum in Malmö.
At LFV the medical examination takes place after you have passed FEAST I and II.
What is checked
The Swedish Transport Agency, which applies the EU rules in Sweden, mentions vision, hearing, the cardiovascular system, the musculoskeletal system and the nervous system. Some of the requirements:
- Vision: distant visual acuity of 6/9 (0.7) or better in each eye and 6/6 (1.0) or better with both eyes. LFV states that the refractive error must not exceed +5/−6 dioptres.
- Colour vision: normal colour vision. According to EASA guidance, test plates alone are not enough; an anomaloscope or a so-called CAD test is used.
- Hearing: hearing loss must not be more than 35 dB at 500, 1,000 or 2,000 Hz, or more than 50 dB at 3,000 Hz.
- Laser eye surgery: LFV asks you to contact the Swedish Transport Agency for information.
- General health: LFV requires you to be in full health and gives epilepsy, diabetes and heart defects as examples of conditions that rule out becoming an air traffic controller.
How long the certificate is valid
Under the EU rules the certificate is valid for 24 months, and for 12 months from the age of 40. LFV writes that its air traffic controllers are checked every year.