Well, it seems to me that the CAA ought to get their act together, as I have a letter, albeit a few years old now, that categorically states the opposite of what you have been told. As I quoted previously in this thread, my letter states 'technically there is no reason why you cannot sit the test more than once, but there is no point as colour vision is a static condition'. This, in combination with your letter seems to imply that either there are no written rules to say you cannot take the test more than once and they are just 'making it up' as they
really don't want to open the floodgates of people repeatedly doing the test until they pass, ....or, not all the docs at Gatwick are fully aware of the rules.
Either that, or they have changed the rules since I received my letter (which, I think is the less likely of the options).
The whole colour perception thing is a load of bo**ocks anyway, and all we are doing is trying to get past their stupid rules. The trouble is, they don't seem to have a clearly defined set of rules that are in the spirit of JAA harmonisation.
One day, all this antiquated nonsense will be consigned to the bin, and future wannabees will have no knowledge of the crap that this generation had to endure to get past the medical, like so many other out of date and inappropriate laws.
It makes me so sad that in the UK, we live in a culture that views ambition as arrogance and the 'British Way' is to keep people's aspirations supressed. The 'American Dream' is all about 'you can achieve anything if you want it enough, go for it'. The 'British Dream' is more like 'Steady on old chap, stop being so silly'.
I never thought I'd ever say it, but sometimes I wish I had been born the other side of the pond.