I'm a 160+ hr color vision deficient PPL holder and aircraft owner. Most of my 160+ hrs have been cross country touring and business trips. Over the three years of having my PPL I've found that the number of cancellations due to weather has become a great nuisance and source of frustration. For this reason I've decided to somehow obtain IFR priviliges.
Up until recently I've regarded the JAA (and EASA) path unaccessible, not because the investment in time or money, but solely because of the NQ requirement to obtain the JAA IR. I thoroughly researched the FAA and N-reg route and was very close to going overseas this spring, but for various reasons I had to postpone my plans. Off topic I found som really golden stuff regarding FAA training and N-reg on this website:
Aviation
In light of the proposed changes in the new EASA FCL I've reevaluated the EASA route. For two reasons; the EIR and information circulating that the NQ could be completed solely dual. This brings me to my two questions:
- From those of you who have significant actual cross country IFR experience; how much of an improvement would the EIR be over VFR-flying on top, ie. how often would the 1000 ft MSA restriction cause me problems?
- There are references on this forum to people having obtained both CPLs and IRs with day only restrictions by flying the NQ portion of the training solely dual; is this correct and if so how did they do it under JAR-FCL (and will do it under EASA-FCL in the future)?
Oh, and I've exhausted the available color vision test methods, and yes, I do have a color vision deficiency, so there is no need to point me to this or that fancy new test or hungarian eye doctor that will lift the restriction on my medical. Also, I have no ambitions whatsoever of becoming a professional pilot, I just wan't to be able to use my aircraft more regularly to get from A to B.
Thanks in advance!
/Anders