Ron McNab, 63, has been with Air Traffic Control in Edinburgh since 1972. Here, he tells us what it's like to work for the company, how his daughter became involved too and how the controllers make Christmas Day in the office fun.

"When I started my career it was in something quite different to Air Traffic Control. I'd been flying with Royal Navy air fleet but I suffered with air sickness, so something had to change. I began looking for a job based on the ground so I had to make the decision between Air Traffic Control or being a Navy civilian. Air Traffic Control won.

"I joined the Edinburgh Air Control Team in 1976 after training in Manchester. The training was extremely comprehensive - it took three years, because back then we trained in ground control as well as airports. Nowadays training is faster because you only learn one of the two.

"My training was held in Prestwick ATC centre and then on to a place near Southampton - Whiteley. And then, after three years, I returned to start work in Edinburgh.

"In layman's terms, what the job entails is being up in the visual control room at the airport and being able to guide an aeroplane when it wants to land. It needs clearance for a specific route to fly, as well as someone to taxi the aircraft out and round vehicles such as luggage trucks, before being taxied down the runway.  About 40 miles away from the airport an aeroplane will make a call on the radio to Air Traffic Control who will check headings, levels and transfers before knowing it's safe to land.

"I thoroughly enjoy the job and always have - my feelings towards it haven't changed in 40 years. Back in the day the nature of the traffic was more hectic - there'd be RAF training squadrons and big aircraft looking to land but now it's all commercial jets, helicopters and light aircraft.

"99% of the job is fine and relatively hassle-free. The other 1% is what I'm paid for, really. That's the stressful part of it, but it's important to just focus on the relationship between myself and who I'm talking to - that one-on-one - rather than thinking of potential lives at risk. That's how I get through it.

"Something I'm very used to is working Christmas day. The shifts are divided into two - the morning shift of 6.30am to 2pm, and the afternoon of 2pm - 10pm. It's working Boxing day that's a bit of a bind for me, because you can't really have a drink on Christmas day itself. The normal alcohol blood limit is 80mg per 100ml, or 50mg after the new law comes in soon. But for us working it's 20mg, so that puts festive drinking out of the question.

"Up until around 15 years ago I'd never worked a Christmas day - the airport was usually shut as there was no demand. But things have changed. There are usually six controllers on shift at a time but on Christmas day that's reduced.

"This year I'll be doing the morning shift which works out fine because it means that when I get home, my daughter Kirrie and her mum will have done all the prep and vegetables, and I'll just have to rustle up some bread sauce. Before going home we'll celebrate the day in our own way at the tower by handing round mince pies and maybe even wearing paper hats - it's difficult to get the headphones on over the top, but we find a way.

"Kirrie has actually also worked with me in previous years. She joined as an Air Traffic Control assistant which involves doing weather observations, reports and making telephone calls. She worked with me for two years and she was great - no problems at all.

"I'm retiring in 2016, so next year will be my last Air Traffic Control Christmas. I'll miss the company and the banter. There's always brilliant chat. An Air Traffic Control Christmas is an inconvenient necessity but the camaraderie gets you through.

"There's a scene in an old episode of Still Game where the actors blast each other with silly string...  We never quite take it that far, but we've had some fantastic laughs over the years.

"Even if you didn't pay me I'd still come into my work - not every day, mind, but I still would. I'm incredibly lucky that I feel that way about my job, as I realise not everyone does. It's been a fantastic ride."