Day only CPL ?

[kta2402]

Hi, I'm a private pilot in Canada with a class 1 Medical restriction to day only flying due to color blindness. I am looking to pass my CPL here in Canada in order to be able to do some bush flying, seaplane and especially instruction.

I looked everywhere and it is never stated that Night rating is mandatory for CPLs (only a couple of hours of night flying is mandatory but dual time), nor it is for IFR. My question is can i pass my commercial for day flight only as well as an instrument rating ?

BTW : Why would TC hand out a day only Class 1 medical if you can't be a commercial day only pilot ?

Thanks if you can help me,

cheers,
KTA

[Shunter]

Here in JAA-land, the night work can be completed dual, as you know. This is sufficient to satisfy the CPL requirements. You can quite happily acquire a CPL/IR over here with a day restriction. There are some very, very senior CFIs over here whose only reason for not being at the top ranks of airline flying is their slight colour issue. Outrageous, and almost certainly illegal discrimination.

I'm very surprised that you find it an issue being where you are. JAA regulations are draconian, have no basis in scientific fact and have been described to me (in person) by the CAA head of medical as "unfit for purpose". The FAA meanwhile allow practical testing in order to acquire a SODA (statement of demonstrated ability). I would have expected TA to be more in like with the FAA, so perhaps you might want to look into it.

There is a huge thread on the medical forum about colour vision which covers the regulations in most developed nations. Don't use the term blind, you're not colour blind. You simply have a sight deficiency (the vast majority are only slight, only a handful serious, and completely colour blind people are about as common as people with 2 heads).

[Nashers]

in the UK you will have to do some PIC time on your night rating inorder to get the 5 solo full stop landings.

[kta2402]

Thank you for your complete reply shunter, before being to Canada I was in France (a JAR regulated land) and It wasn't possible to get my CPL over there because of my color deficiency. So I'm surprised to hear that you can actually pass a JAA-CPL without the night rating (may I ask what country you're in?). I had a friend also color deficient who passed his CFI as a PPL, and he was required to either satisfy a 80% PPL for FI test score or a CPL test. If he passed the CPL test he was required to sign a waiver saying that under any mean he would continue on a CPL formation.

When I arrived in France from Africa (where I started flying and where money is the way to pass a medical with no tests) I was given a class 2 with no restrictions, 2 years later I was given a night flying prohibition. When I asked the doctor why I didn't have that restriction on the first exam, he answered me that he hadn't given me the restriction 2 years before as it was then banned for "color-blinded" people to fly even by day. Later on while in Costa Rica I passed an FAA class 2 and I was not given any restrictions as I could name the colors on the board (red, green, white and blue).

Here in Canada once the Ishihara tables failed I passed a Farnsworth 15 test which was sent to TC who a month later gave me my Class 1 "Day only" medical.

To Nashers, you stipulate that you have to do PIC time for night rating but is the night rating mandatory for a CPL or even is in uk the CPL mandatory for a Flight Instructor License ?

My main goal is a CFI license but here it seems that no CFI licenses are issued without a prior CPL license.

thanks, KTA

[Shunter]

I believe the UK is the only country which allows restricted Class 1 medicals, ie. you can have a Class 1 with a day restriction. This is slightly ironic, as it's usually the UK which follows the rules to the letter (stupid or otherwise) whilst other countries choose to ignore those which don't suit them (ie. France).

I'm not 100% familiar with Canadian rules, but surely if you passed the lantern test you should be given a clean medical??

Over here there are 2 ways of doing it. Get a night qualification after (or during) your PPL, or if you commence CPL training without one, the rules say "the applicant must be given 5hrs of night training", so you can get the required experience without ever logging P1 at night.

You can be an FI over here without a CPL. You have to do the CPL exams and have 200hrs total time, but you don't need to do the CPL itself. You can't of course be paid with a PPL/FI however. This situation is to change fairly soon under new EASA rules, but what it's going to change to is still a matter of debate.

[Shunter]

Applicants who fail the plates may be tested with a colour vision lantern. Anumber of these are available in each region and information is available through the RAMO’s office. The Farnsworth D-15 Hue test is also acceptable.There you go... if you passed the Farnsworth, start shouting. You're entitled to a clean medical.

[kta2402]

Well here in Canada the lantern test is not accepted anymore, as for the Farnsworth test it showed clearly that I was color deficient (yep pastel colors). For information I have done quite a lot of night flying and IFR flight either Dual or SIC and it has never affected me to be color deficient.

[B737800FO]

Shunter you are only partly right. You can get a UK JAA CPL with a day flying only restriction, but someone with colour blindness is unable to obtain a JAA IR.


Call UK CAA on 01293 573700 to confirm.

(IR being Instrument rating, and FI being an Flight Instructor rating) - UK terminology

[TESTingPILOT]

Lots of different ways to test now, previous people who failed now pass!