Class 1 refused

[Pilot16]

After CAA's preposterous claim that my vision in right eye was 6/18, I took numerous eye tests which all came out positive with three 6/9's and one 6/7.5. I had gathered all evidence and posted it to them with a letter.

They invited me for another eye test quite rightly so (and even had the wits to ask for £49 for that).

This time I was tested under the most stringent of conditions. My eyes were covered, and the 6/9 line was unveiled and only that line. I asked whether I could start reading from the bigger letters so my eyes have time to focus...he said 'no'. I was revoked for taking my time to read the letters.

I read all the letters on the 6/9 line correctly however given how nervous and 'panick mood' I was in at that time, I read a letter wrong. It was the letter 'c' which i had mistaken for an 'o'.

For this reason, the CAA refused to issue me the Class 1 for the second time. However the retest still shows CONSIDERABLE improvement from 6/18 vision they had previously claimed.. The pathetic attempt of the CAA, or the medical examiner to give an explenation, was that a persons eyesight varies during the day and the test may not have been done properly. I dont think so...It doesnt vary between +- two lines on the chart.

It seems to me that they were hell bent in not issuing me the Class 1 to start off with. I am now left with no options.

[Blinkz]

Of course you have options, Your a member of the JAA now :D

goto a different country and try it? France? Germany? any other JAA state and do your medical there. If you get it then you can transfer it to the UK.

[Pilot16]

Thanks for the reply.
I have done a search on the forum on Class 1 Medical in France, and found some valuable info.

Few more questions: Will France let me take the Class 1 medical, as I have been refused by the CAA here?

Will I have problems issuing my CPL/ATPL from the CAA if I DO get a JAA Class 1 medical from France.

Thanks.

[Blinkz]

I have spoken to the CAA and it also says on there website that if you get a class 1 medical from a full mutual JAA state (theres a list on the CAA webby, but france, germany spain etc are all members) then with a little bit of paper work you can transfer the medical over to the UK with no examination. The UK will then become the state of issue for your license.

I don't see why france will have a problem with it, unless they ask you then I don't think you have to tell them, but you should def look into it :)

[Pilot16]

Thanks for your reply.

Can anyone tell me how I should go about booking Class 1 Initial check up at Mater Hospital?

What I intend to do is fly out to Dublin in the morning and come back in the evening. Will that be possible, I wonder...

[mutt]

[email protected]

They should be able to give you all the details. However they may ask why you are flying in from London and not doing it in Gatwick.


Mutt.

[Pilot16]

I wont mention it for the time being ofcourse.

Thanks mutt.

PS. Is there not a website/page by mater hospital on Class 1 check-ups? I tried searching their website but could not find anything. Im assuming it must be very low-profile over there (the Class 1 check-ups).

[mazzy1026]

I have decided to sack off the idea of a class 1 and just go and get a class 2 and get in the air. It will be a million times less hassle, 300 quid cheaper and less stress and I can get flying sooner! It has become apparent to me that if you are borederline on the limits then if you have a license already then the docs tend to favor you over someone who didnt have any license. This is what I have learned due to people opinions on here anyway. So balls to the class 1!

Am I being daft or what ?

Maz :}

[Flyin'Dutch']

Am I being daft or what ?

No, at least not based on this statement!

:}

FD

[mazzy1026]

Hmmm one thinks I may have said something daft in the past? :)

[paddyboy]

"300 quid cheaper and less stress and I can get flying sooner"

Mazzy,

That's all very well but what if........?

You proceed to spend a shed load of cash on flying, exams etc.
Obtain all your qualifications and then.....fail your Class One?

On the grand scale of things 300 quid isn't that much when you consider how much money you may end up wasting.

If you intend to make any kind of career out of flying then get your Class One asap. Better to know now rather than later.

Good luck

PADDY:ok:

[Pilot16]

I have decided to sack off the idea of a class 1 and just go and get a class 2 and get in the air. It will be a million times less hassle, 300 quid cheaper and less stress and I can get flying sooner! It has become apparent to me that if you are borederline on the limits then if you have a license already then the docs tend to favor you over someone who didnt have any license. This is what I have learned due to people opinions on here anyway. So balls to the class 1!

mate, listen to this, I was failed on getting ONE LETTER WRONG, that was a 'c' which said a 'o'

I have a PPL and Night rating, 70 hours under my belt, hell did that count for anything ? ?

[mazzy1026]

Paddy, Pilot16

Both extremely good points indeed. It is a minefield out there.

In response to paddy - if that was the case then I would settle for private flying at weekends and thats that. I am so undecided at the moment !! ARGH!

Pilot16 - that injects only fear into me! How bloody stupid is that when you are failed on a bloody single letter of the chart.

Hmmm - decisions decisions

Cheers guys

Lee :ok:

[Jimmy The Big Greek]

Well, I do not beleive that you failed for just one letter. Maybe the looked at the whole picture.

Maybe your young and you already have strong prescription already and if you are a borderline case maybe they are a bit stringent then.

My question is, do you feel that the schnellen where more difficult then the other ones at you optrician. The ilumination pays a BIG role.

I really don't think that you failed for just one letter. I beleive that many of us have said the wrong letter sometimes.

Also to considered is to wear contact lenses. They give you a bit better vision then spectacles. If I where you I would call CAA and ask for an explanation. Also I would go every week to a optrician and then send in the evidence again.

[Pilot16]

Well, I do not beleive that you failed for just one letter. Maybe the looked at the whole picture.

I really don't think that you failed for just one letter. I beleive that many of us have said the wrong letter sometimes.

Mate I am greatful for your reply, If only the CAA would speak to me as you did!!

Yes I am young, that part is true. May I also add I am of asian origine as this may be of interest.

There is more to the story perheps you should hear. On my VERY FIRST visit to the CAA for the C1, I was failed on the basis of having, i quote 'SUBSTANDARD VISION ACUITY ON RIGHT EYE' as it was stated on the denial form and letter from them ...On that letter written by the medical officer I allegedly was only able to read the 6/18 line! This was absolutely shocking to me as I had taken an eye test before I booked the Class 1, and my vision on right eye then was 6/9 NOT 6/18. Everything else was fine with my body, otherwise they would have stated this on the denial form.

[may I add that some of the comments passed by the senior medical officer present there at the end of the test, when explaining why I am being failed, were totally inapropriate and threw grave concern]


Also I would go every week to a optrician and then send in the evidence again.

THEN, I DID EXACTLY what you said.....I went and got loads of eye tests done which proved my vision is infact, on right eye 6/9. I took one of those eye tests at Harley Street (IT COST ME LOADS, but hell i thought if the report from there could prove my case, then be it, its worth it)......On this one: much to my suprise my vision on right eye was stated by the optometrist to be 6/7.5

All in all I had aquired four eye reports/prescriptions, THREE of which stated 6/9, one from Harley Street clinic 6/7.5....I called the CAA up explaining my situation, they told me to send the reports i had gethered to them. With a letter, I sent them all off to the CAA......

I had a reply asking me to come in again for a test of my visual acuity. I did. I had expected a specialist eye consultant to check me, as many ppruners have told me here they were tested by an eye consultant the 2nd time round...Much to my suprise the same senior medical officer who I met the first time round was to be testing my vision acuity. They eye test It was done in the most stringent of conditions by the senior medical officer. My eyes were covered the 6/9 line was unveiled and I was asked to read them all. I thought you read from the bigger letters so that your eyes adjust? Is that not how a usual eye test is done?

Was it that the [senior medical officer] prepared the most stringent of conditions for me so that he can ultimately fail me therefore not grant me a C1?

At the heat of the moment, yes...I said the 'c' was an 'o'. At the end, after a discussion or rather an explanation by him that lasted 10 whole minutes, the content of which culminated around how I wont be able to train in the UK and I should go the FAA route, i finally left disappointed, yet determined.

Maybe your young and you already have strong prescription already and if you are a borderline case maybe they are a bit stringent then.

Yes I am young...and no, my prescriptions are not strong at all.
+1.25D Spherical, 0.25D Cylindrical RIGHT EYE
No refractive Correction whatsoever and 0.25D Cylindrical for LEFT EYE
[From Specsavers eye test]

That is way above the CAA/JAA requirement of 5.0D of correction.

[Jimmy The Big Greek]

I would not worry so much if I where you. With that prescription I think your ok. The only thing you have to do is to get contact lences, they can improve your vision by one line or so.

My only advise is to be persistent. Start all over again. Get the contact lenses and for one month go to your optrician for one week and get an eye examination and send them in.

sooner or later they will give up. Also try to use the amblyopic eye as much as possible.

I don't think its because you are from asia. Its more because you are young. The eye stops growing at about 21 years old. The examiner doesn't know if the amblyopia is going to be worse by age. The thing I find very strange is the fluctation on your vision.

Also the FAA route is a bit tricky for you. You need 20/20 vision for the FAA first class medical. You should rather try to do JAA medical in another country.

[mazzy1026]

Yes you need 20/20 vision for FAA but this can be achieved using corrective lenses.

[Jimmy The Big Greek]

Mazzy he has amblyopia it means that he can not correct his vision to 20/20.

Anyway pilot16 if it will make you feel better. I have also amblyopia but very little. I can read the line below 6/6 almost 6/6.
I have now a ATPL with 1600hours. I had problems getting my medical myself. The CAA in my country would'nt let me fly because I did not have "fine stereopsis". But this requirements has been taken away since its useless for aviation.

But you got me a bit nervous. Are they so stringent in CAA uk.
would be nice to hear from others.

I have noticed that the eye charts varies alot between optrician.
Also the background light.

[Flyin'Dutch']

You can get an FAA medical with any degree of amblyopia but will be classed as a monocular pilot.

In order to achieve this you will need to have 20/20 in the other eye and do a flight test with an FAA examiner.

HTH

FD

[LDG_GEAR _MONITOR]

can any one actually explain the charts? wat is the numbers and which line do they tie up ? or is there a web site somewherew with the charts and expain which one is which ? just curious all this 6/9 6/18 etc !

[Pilot16]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I strongly believe the senior medical officer has something against me.

Today I received a letter from him following my second visit.

Further to your 'subsequent re-examination of your visiual acuity with me, I regret to confirm that you were unable to read the 6/9 line without error with your right eye, with or without your glasses' On this basis, i regret to confirm that you cannot be reassessed as fit for the class one medical certification.'

Yours Sincerely,

dah dit dah

Senior Medical Officer

:*

LDG_GEAR _MONITOR: Please check your PM

[mazzy1026]

Jimmy - apologies on that - thanks for the correction.

P16 - dont give up !

[Pilot16]

Sounds like others have been shown some discretion. Its ridiculous firstly, to be given 6/18 and then being failed on getting one letter wrong on the 6/9 line.

I will be writing to the head of CAA.
anyone think this is not a good idea?