Hello everyone, I have just been called to do a medical test prior my first interview in Hong Kong ( I have applied SQ Cadet Pilot Programme (Hong Kong) ) . Unfortunately, I am born to be colour-deficient and I have failed the Ishihara test for my Class 2 Medical in Australia. I would like to know whether Singapore Airlines cockpit crew medical (or CAAS class 1 medical) would accept any alternative methods for testing colour vision? say farnsworth lantern test or light gun test. My interview is scheduled on the next Friday. Now I am thinking of going to make an appointment to do a lantern test or something, and send them the results as well and see how it goes.
The requirements for the medical are found here:
http://www.caas.gov.sg/caasWeb/expor..._Amendment.pdf
Refer to Section 3:
3 COLOUR PERCEPTION REQUIREMENTS
3.1 The applicant shall be required to demonstrate the ability to perceive readily those colours the perception of which is necessary for the safe performance of duties.
3.2 The applicant shall be tested for the ability to correctly identify a series of pseudoisochromatic plates in daylight or in artificial light of the same colour temperature such as that provided by CIE standard illuminants C or D65 as specified by the International Commission on Illumination (CIE).
3.3 An applicant obtaining a satisfactory result as prescribed by the evaluating medical examiner shall be assessed as fit. An applicant failing to obtain a satisfactory result in such a test shall be assessed as unfit unless able to readily distinguish the colours used in air navigation and correctly identify aviation coloured lights. Applicants who fail to meet these criteria shall be assessed as unfit.
3.3.1 Sunglasses worn during the exercise of the privileges of the licence or rating held shall be nonpolarizing and of a neutral grey tint.
An interpretation of these requirements are therefore:
3.2. The Ishihara test will be the standard test.
3.3. The opinion of the examining doctor as to whether your result is satisfactory or not is the final decision.
If you can't pass the Ishihara test you should not be flying. You are a hazard to your fellow pilots if ever you get a license by memorizing the plates.
You may like to know that your first medical examination will be conducted at the Civil Aviation Medical Board, and then thereafter at least once every four medicals. For sure they will make yo do the Ishihara test. They also rearrange the sequence of the plates at near random. Your chances of passing that test using memorisation techniques are very slim indeed.
It is better to never qualify than to qualify based on trickery and then discover that you may have to pay back the training bond. SIA views such attempts at circumventing regulations very seriously and will not hesitate to sack you particularly if you are only a cadet.
As a matter of interest the Farnsworth Lantern test is not much more successful than the Ishihara test (ie in rare cases someone who fails the Ishihars may pass the Farnsworth Lantern Test):
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m...12/ai_n9009350
SIA is not so desperate that it will invest in salvaging potential cadets who have failed the Ishihara on the rare chance that he might pass the Farnsworth.
In any case, even if they do put up c ase for you, CAAS still does not accept the Farnsworth test.