CAA Appeal.

[Byrne11]

Good morning,

I sat my Class 1 initial 5 weeks ago, on the day my eyesight was deemed to be 6/9 which was news to me as I see to 6/6 with correction. The AME on the day advised me to get reports from experts and sent them in to him.

The following day i was extremely lucky to get an appointment with one of the UK's leading eye surgeons who found issues with how the test was carried out, and secondly even with eyedrops effecting my eyesight 24 hours later i was able to 6/6. I had my own GP verify this, my optometrist also carried out the CAA eye exam as shown on downloadable page on the CAA website. Again, my visual acuities showed to be 6/7.5 in each eye and 6/6.

I forwarded all this information on and after many weeks was told, this was not good enough and i'd to appeal the decision. I have to inform a well known surgeon in ophthalmology his opinion and his 25 years of experience has been undermined and his professionalism bought into question.

He was extremely helpful and I believe he knows someone who sits on the CAA board regards appeals, what should i expect?
Do I need any more opinions?, every eye test I've ever done has showed up to be 6/6 :ugh: The consultant i have is extremely helpful, i've no doubts he will be on to the CAA personally.

[Byrne11]

But i need it through the CAA, if i done it with the IAA for example would it not show up if i attempted to transfer it?

[Radgirl]

I would seriously advise you to take a big breath

You failed a test. A test that does have some variability and user error. But you failed. It was an optometry test. Now on this site we have heard so many people who claim to have consulted the world's best or one of the world's best that I sometimes wonder........but this test is not part of ophthalmology surgery I am afraid and most of my ophthalmology surgical colleagues, who dont claim to be the best even though they have international reputations, dont do these tests but pass them to optometrists.

Nobody has been undermined. I suggest you ask the CAA how you appeal. I suspect they will then arrange another test. Which you are sure you will pass. IMHO shouting that you have one of the world's best who says they are talking rubbish will only entrench their position. As your post proved.

Good luck

[IRISHPILOT]

have to agree with above, but the option that the second poster mentioned should be fine too.
Depends a little on which CAA you are writing about. UK?
Just go somewhere else, other CAAs see this more relaxed if you failed previously, and then you can do a renewal in the UK with an AME. - This worked for me a couple of years ago, just make sure your local CAA is fine with that (call them).
Costs less too, the initial is under 70 pounds in many countries.

good luck!

[IRISHPILOT]

AsI wrote, it worked for MY initial, but that was a couple of years ago.

Also, just checked, the initial is a little over 100 pounds in Poland, a little under 100 Euros in Prague. Sorry for the wrong figures above.

[vikdream]

Unfortunately you will have to consider the implications of this "failure" for the future.

You will have to renew your medical every year. Do you really want to have this issue every single year of your life until you retire? Medical fitness can be very stressfull for pilots, especially when it's your only income and you need to pay tax, mortgage and feed others with that money.

[Radgirl]

Indeed

I haven't a clue whether an easyjet day to Prague would get you your medical BUT when you renew you will have to state you failed in the initial assessment and then went to.....Poland. You cant be criticized for this, but I would expect this to be a red rag to a bull and at best you will be put under the microscope (metaphorically!!) and if you are borderline you may be worse off

In addition you have to assume the nice Polish AME will just think the original crowd are a bunch of incompetents.... what if he thinks they know best.....