[QUOTE]CVD's can see colour and make safe pilots. They struggle with so called colour vision tests, which are far too discriminating and completely unrepresentative of any operational situation. The CAD test is no different in that it discriminates between those who can pass an irrelevant test and those who cannot. /QUOTE]
I can testify to the above.
Being diagnosed with CVD 20 years ago, I have a slight red/green deficiency but I 100% believe I see solid red/green colours (and lights)
exactly the same as any colour normal person, but may have issues like finding it a little more difficult to distinguish a small green light from a white light at say 1000m (anyone probably would), yet red lights are very distinct.
In 20 years, with myself, family, friends and work/flying colleagues aware of the condition (I often get them to quiz me), I would struggle to count the instances I have misidentified a colour
on one hand, yet I can't "pass" any of the colour vision tests, including the CAD, falling just outside the "acceptable" cutoff.
I have
zero issues with road traffic lights, red/amber caution lights, green and red landing gear annunciations, nav lights, instrument placarding, runway (inc threshold, taxi and stop-bar lighting) , obstruction lighting and any fellow pilots can testify to this, yet I still "fail" the "required standard". It is absolutely frustrating.
Despite the above, let's not forget it has also been proven that pilots with severe defects who may not be great at naming colours can still operate aircraft safely!
I have an ATPL (which I can't use), 3000 hours (mostly multi IFR charter) and 500 hrs at night, without incident.
As someone deeply affected (and at times traumatised) by the stance CASA have taken in the last 2 years, a $5000 donation to the next fight would be within my realms at the current time, but obviously a career is worth much more than this amount. Hell, I've already blown over $1500 on two CAD tests
Thank you so much to those not affected by CVD willing to part with $200 for the cause, it means a huge amount to us CVDs to have your support!
p.s just as a side note and a bit of trivia: When you do the maths it works out that there would be around 1 million CVDs in Australia. Go figure