CASA attacks colour vision defective pilots again.

[papakurapilot]

I am unfortunately not even slightly surprised to be writing this post. As someone who had CASA send a letter to my employer years ago telling them to consider if having me fly for them was safe given I have a colour vision defect, my opinion on CASA on this topic is very bleak.

CASA about two years ago saw some sense and allowed pilots with a colour vision defect to do an assessment to prove their safety. This was a huge turning point in a very long and dark saga with CASA and for almost two brief years they had a progressive policy that aligned with NZ CAA and the FAA.

That was until early this year. Early this year CASA began rejecting completed flight test forms for this test. This was even though their website still had the OCVA published as an approved assessment, not a single testing officer was told it was now not accepted and THEIR OWN medical department was still telling applicants to take this test (the OCVA). I have contact with multiple people who have paid thousands to do this test through certified testing officers and still been rejected for this even though they have jumped through all of CASA's imposed hoops. I suspect that there would be some cause here for some legal action given the applicants did exactly what CASA asked and followed the published and current procedures exactly. I cannot imagine having sat my ATPL flight test years ago CASA now sending me an email stating 'Sorry mate, we've changed the process now and you are back to being a CPL'. That's effectively what they've done here.

CASA now has removed the OCVA from their website with no replacement on the horizon. They have said they are 'developing' a new test with zero time frame or explanation on what that might entail. They need to provide clear detail on their exact intentions with an exact time frame on this. I have regular contact with students who are beginning their training who now cannot be issued a medical due to an insane decision. What am I supposed to tell these young aspiring pilots? Just to continue your training with a vague promise by CASA that they will develop a new test with literally no timeline attached? After enduring CASA's constant attacks on the colour vision defective pilot community I am at a loss as to what to say to these young people!

I write this here out of exasperation as what can only be describes as an incredibly unjust process by our national regulator. I hope by this writing to bring awareness to what surely has to be some of the most insanely deficient processes that our regulator seems to be following. Hopefully some pressure comes onto the national regulator to reimpose the OCVA until a suitable alternative is put in place.