Colour Vision??

[Hopetofly]

Hey Guys, complete newbie here so go easy :) I am currently training for my PPL and hopefully when im finished i'll continue modular training with the hope of landing an airline job some day!

I found out that i was colour vision deficient a couple of years ago.. I was shocked as I had no idea! I read numerous post on the internet about not being allowed to be a commercial pilot if colour blind, so i resigned to the fact that id only ever fly with a PPL. But i came across a post from a guy in a similar situation to mine and he had obtained a class 1 by doing a "holmes-wright lantern test". I rang the AME that exams for the Irish aviation authority and asked if i could take this test without taking the rest of the medical as i didnt want to fork out the €600 to fail on the colour test.

So i went to the clinic and he gave me the standard colour test that everone receives when doing a class one, the "ishihara" test plates. I struggled with a few of the plates and he then confirmed i was colour deficient...So on to the next step, the lantern test. For those lucky enough to have never seen one, its basically a black box that shine 3 very small LEDs (red,white and green) you sit about 5 metres away and the box shows two lights at a time and you have to identify them. After the test the examiner told me the news i was waiting for - i was slightly colour deficient but not to the extent that i could not hold a class one!

He sent on my results to the IAA and i received a letter from them to say "if i were to complete the rest of the class one medical exam without issue, they would be able to issue me with a class one medical cert without restrictions" i was delighted. I still have not went back to finish the rest of the medical but im pretty sure im fit enough for the rest of the tests! I plan to do it before i start the atpl's and hour building.

My question is, do airlines make you do their own company medical during a job application or do they skip it seeing as you hold a class one? Im just afraid of completing my training, going to an interview and being given a company medical which is going to use the ishihara test plates and ill fail that.

Is anyone here in the same boat or can anyone give any advice?

Thanks in advance :ok:

[jhr187]

Well that was a harsh reply.

I would imagine that if you've an unrestricted class 1 medical, then you should be fine. Theres a massive colour vision thread in the Medical section of this forum. Grab a cup of tea and have a good read.

I hope that you get some replies from people in similar positions to yourself that have managed to get jobs, who will be able to share their experiences.

[zondaracer]

I heard that the initial class 1 in Ireland is harder than in the UK. Can´t speak from experience but you might want to take that into consideration.

[Hopetofly]

Thanks very much for your reply guys, even you Roope! You obviously have difficulty understanding information you have being supplied with - therefore i dont think being a pilot is the right job for you (sorry but its the truth)...maybe you should read again why i didnt fork out the €600 YET! There is a difference between being wise with money and "cheap".

Thanks again for your replies im gonna take a look in the medical forum as well, cheers!

[3bars]

Roope... don't know what airlines you work for, but i've never been looked over by a company doctor for any airline I've worked for....It's a legal nightmare if they fail you and you hold a valid class 1 medical

[belowradar]

CAA Class 1 unrestricted medical can now be obtained by some CVD (colour vision defective) pilots as there is a new more enlightened test related to flight safety and the actual tasks required of flight crew.

This means that some versions of defective colour vision are deemed safe and others are not. There are different types of CVD and different degrees of type.

All very scientific and result is based on ability to distinguish colours safely especially PAPIS so red / white.

What is not so easy to fix is the general perception that "colour blindness" means not safe to fly passengers, especially as this has been the dogmatic situation for many years.

Any airline or operator failing a candidate with a class 1 unrestricted due colour vision test will now be be open to legal claims from the candidate

[T668BFJ]

If it is of help to you here is my take on it.

I have a colour vision defect.

I researched and eventually went to Gatwick specifically for the UK CAA Class 1 Medical on the agreement i sit the colour assesment first.
If I failed the colour assesment I would pay the £40 and be on my merry way, else they would continue and complete the full medical.

That was 6 years ago, and I am now a skipper.

My advice to you as with all things medical, is you can ask people here till you are blue int eh face, but the Aeromedical centre is the only place you will get a diffinate answer.

Its harsh if you fail kinda thats it, but you will never know till you go up there and try.

True [email protected] fo your question. or 01293573700
or If your going for Irish contact Dr Annetje Roodenburg in the IAA Aeromedical Section. She has a reputation but can be very helpfull.

Best of luck

[Hopetofly]

Thanks T668bfj, I have already passed the lantern test and received a letter ftom IAA to tell me my colour vision will not be a problem and i can hold a class 1 without restrictions. Can i ask you, did you have any issue when you were applying for jobs? Did you have to do any company medicals? Cheers

[PilotKarl_777-300]

Hey Hopetofly,
Well i can tell you this, i also have a colour deficiency a really bad one too with green cones in my eye. I failed the lantern test too and therefor had to request an ATC signal gun test which i gladly passed :E. Now i have an unrestricted class one medical..As far as i know with airline jobs and their medical i read that they make you do a Drug and Alcohol Test but nothing too do with colour vision, once you've passed the lantern test you do not have to conduct it again when applying for jobs or another renewal of your medical..
Hope i helped :ok:

[mad_jock]

The only time I have ever had to do another colour test is when switching to another license outside the EU. So if you want to go off to the ME you may have issues.

Generally EU companys just want a copy of your current medical. But some countrys have different practises which I might not be aware of.

[Halfwayback]

Major airlines have their own medical staff and they often include AMEs.

As these doctors are employed by the airline it makes economic sense for the 'company doc' to do the medical renewal. However this is always optional and individual pilots can elect to use any AME; the costs of a medical are normally reimbursed.

The reason some pilots do not wish to use the 'company doc' is that they feel it could disadvantage them if the company discovered they had an adverse medical condition (unrelated to flying) that could go against them; selection for promotion for example. Others prefer to build up a good relationship with their 'personal' AME that they use for the rest of their professional career.

Some airlines will conduct medicals as part of the recruiting process just to ensure that a pilot meets their standards. However I am sure that the holder of an in-date Class 1 has little to worry about.

HWB

[Lockheed_Blackbird]

Hi everyone, i'm new on this forum.

About colour blindness, i can assess that today's restrictions are totally stupid.

Just be aware of the Arthur Pape case.

He is an australian doctor and also a private pilot, he fought against the restriction to colour blind people for becoming pilots.

Thanks to him, all colour blind people can now be pilot in Australia.

But when in the rest of the world?

This man demonstrated that colour blindness does not affect abilities to pilot of a man. They pilot as as well as the others, and there is no reason to avoid them becoming pilots.

This is a TRUE problem all over the world, many colour blind (as I) want to become professional pilots or militar pilots but we CAN'T. Visit this site in french : Pilote Daltonien | Accueil (http://www.pilote-daltonien.com) , with the case of Arthur Pape in english.

Personally, i just got a derogation in France and now have my class 1.

I just wanted to inform you that it's totally stupid, the Army and all airlines give many able pilots a miss...

And you also have to know that many current pilots are colour blind but do not say it...and they've never had problems...