As I said on another thread in this forum, i recieved a letter from CAA about the removal of my colour vision endorsements. Accompanying my shiney plastic and CLEAN medical i also recieved a letter stating that "colour vision standards are likely to become less stringent with time (ICAO are developing testing procedures that should be universally adopted in the future)", and also it did state that in aussie CASA would of passed me without any need for lantern testing. Good to see at least one country is taking a step forward to help remove what I see as a very unfair requirement, especially when it has been demonstrated time and time again that colour deficiency does not make a pilot any less safe than one with "normal" vision.
21712 -
I know what your son must feel like. I too had the dream of becomming an airline pilot from when i was knee high to a grass hopper. But at the age of 10 i was tested by the state, and told "you are red-green colour blind and cannot be a electrician, pilot.. ra ra ra ... NEXT!" - not a nice way to learn that your future ambitions of flying are now down the toilet. Dispite this I fought on, learning as much as i could about my condition only to learn that i wasn't red-green colour blind, but in fact
Deutan, just like your son! For me, i wanted to fly commercially so bad that i was prepared to take things to CAA's disputes tribunal, or even goto australia just to get the damn medical! Luckily for me i passed the holmes wright A lantern test, so there was no need. If it helps your son when it comes to a lantern test, a friend of mine who was also in the same position as me with Deutan deficiency gave me the tip that in the test.. white will look yellow, red will look red, and green will look white. Cant say it turned out that way exactly for me, but i believe his deficiency was more severe than mine. But dont worry to all those out there who think someone cheated the lantern test.. he gave up flying after a year and is now a desk jockey with some IT firm. But to 21712 and your son, dont give up. Im sure if you try hard enough your son can be a pilot just like you!
edited because typo's suck
[This message has been edited by Speed Racer (edited 26 March 2001).]