Colourblindness & flying

[brasov]

Hi all,

I'm a commercial pilot in South Africa and also happen to be colourblind (that doesn't mean that I cant see colours). I failed the colourblind tests that are done by the aviation doctor but mannaged to get my unrestricted medical by doing a practical flight test at night and was deemed safe to fly by the examminer.
Could anyone tell me if its a big problem in Europe if you colourblind and want to get an unrestricted JAA com license?

[FatFlyer]

This subject is discussed under medical and health, The JAR regs are a lot more stringent that the more forward thinking Aussies and Americans where a practical test (as you have done) is acceptable.
In the EU if you fail the Ishihara tests (numbers in dots) you can take the Holmes-White lantern test (in the UK) which is just as tricky or similar tests in other EU countries.
There is no test looking at lights from an aircraft or the control tower meaning that some people who can get an FAA or Aussie class 1 medical cannot get a JAR class 1 but fly safely into LHR in a 747 under a N reg a/c
The situation is unfair, in Australia it was challenged in the courts by a doctor before the regs were changed but here they won't even consider a practical test.
Maybe someone should challenge it in the European court of human rights as the regs are not based on scientific research

[WrongWayCorrigan]

There's a single contact lens apparently which corrects colour blindness and I've heard of one colour blind (blue/yellow - rare) friend using it in Europe.

If you can see lights at night, you may be able to pass the Lantern Test too. That is conclusive, I believe.

Regs,

Jim:ok: :ok:

[Hawk]

Hello brasov. Have a look at this thread, quite a bit that might be useful.
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=129882
good luck.
H.