just got my lantern test appointment...

[Blinkz]

hey guys.

have just been given an appointment to go take a lantern test in glasgow. its not offical for a medical or anything, i just want to see if i can pass. I'm slightly colourblind, i fail the ishara test, but only make one mistake on the city test (i think thats it, the one where you have to chose from 4 dots what colour matches the one in the centre)

from what i've seen on here about the lantern test i'm quietly confident that i might be able to pass. like i said i'm pretty sure that i'm not very badly colourblind. if so hopefully i'll be able to start on the career that i've dreamt about for as long as i can remember. wish me luck!

[Blinkz]

AQ? I've never heard of that. The only tests I've ever done are the ishara plates, where I fail a number of them (can't remember how many) and the city test, as i said in the last post about matching the colour dots.

I can but hope. Thanks for your support :ok:

[Blinkz]

could someone please tell me what a HW lantern test actaully involves, just so i can know what i'm doing. Thanks.

[STORMER]

I have undergone the lantern test twice. Once for the CAA class one and also for the RAF. I am slightly colour blind as i cannot see all of the ishira plates but i did pass the Lantern test on both occasions. Basically you sit around 10 feet away from a little black box with 2 LED's, one above the other. The LED's are either red, white or green. You just have to say what you see i.e green top, red bottom then the examiner changes them around to any of the three colours. You do this about a dozen times. Not sure if its a set amount of goes or until the medical examiner is happy. During the CAA test I got some wrong but i was aloud another go, but this time in the dark once my eyes had adjusted. I passed and the good news is that once that Colour Safe box is ticked on your initial medical you should never have to take the test again.

Fingers crossed for you

[Blinkz]

well I failed my HW lantern today. :{

was very close to passing it, but i made one too many mistakes. not quite sure what to do now.

it wasn't an offical test, so I guess I could go to gatwick and just hope I can pass the CAA one. any ideas/advice? anything welcome.

gonna go be depressed for abit.

[Wing Commander Fowler]

Was subjected to the lantern test back in my initial navy examination.

Do it with the CAA - don't let it stand in the way of your ambitions but be alert to the above that's my penn'orth.

:ok:

[Dantruck]

Got some good news for you
Make an appointment for a colour test (with or without a full medical) with CAA Gatwick. They now have three tests, and you only have to pass one of them to be classified colour safe, ie: not colour blind.
The first test is Isihara, and can be followed by the Holmes-Wright lantern. But CAA also now does the Beyne lantern test, and that's the good news, as it's regarded as being about the easiest to pass.
In 1996 I was tested and failed on the first two. Last week I was at Gatwick renewing my medical, and because I had put in an earlier request CAA re-tested my colour vision with the new Beyne lantern. Guess what? I got a 100% pass, and all colour restrictions were promptly removed.
The Beyne test has you sitting in a darkened room about 20ft from the lantern. It contains five colours: white, green, red, blue and yellow, which are shown to you one at a time in random order. Unlike the HW lantern, each light is revealed for just one second. You simply say what you see.
So, that's it. Give them a call...
:ok:

[Blinkz]

dan,

wow. that sounds cool :) are the colours all standard or do they show lots of different shades of them? thanks for cheering me up on a otherwise crappy day. i'll hopefully go down to gatwick end of june (got uni exams till then) and hopefully get it sorted out.

[Dantruck]

Each colour is shown in just one shade.
Also, the guy that does the test explains what will happen before you run through it. That way you have a clear idea of what's coming. The colours appear in random order, and no errors are allowed. Each light is quite small, about the size of your smallest finger nail, but larger than the pinpoints of light you get with the HW test.
Whatever your results, the CAA will then explain your options. I know it costs more than visiting your local AME, but by going direct to Gatwick you'll get the full official story devoid of all rumour and guesswork.
Good luck
Dan

[ncusack]

Blinkz;
Sorry to hear that. I have been waiting all day to see good news. Remember it ain't over 'til the fat lady sings. There are loads of happy stories here about people that pass one test and fail another. Don't give up until every avenue is checked. I have the same problem and I won't stop 'til I am sure.

Only one piece of advice........Find out for sure the exact tests that will be done before going to Gatwick. Then get a trial run at an opticians. It appears if you know what to expect, you have a better chance.

Hopefully it will work out.

Later
Ncusck

[Blinkz]

hey ncusack, soz for not replying to ur PM, only just found it. thanks for the support. its great to have you guys here.

from what dans said the beyne test sounds cool. the HW is annoyin cos the lights are so small and far away, they kinda meld into each other. the beyne sounds cool if u just gotta say what colour a light is. saying that i said the same about the HW before i took it :/

but like you guys say I'm not giving up. Its my dream to fly commercially and i'm not gonna give that up for a while yet.

i think going to the CAA is the best bet, as then like you say I'll get the offical version of what they think and where i can go frm there.

how many colour test are you allowed? if i go down there an fail them all (hope not, but u never know) is that it? or will they retest me after a month/year/whatever.

[ncusack]

No prob Blinkz.

As for the CAA I know nothin about it. So I won't comment anymore.

Let someone who KNOWS let us know and not second guess,

Later
Ncusack

[Dantruck]

I'll stick my neck out here and claim I'm the guy that knows, not because I'm CAA, but only cos I've been there direct for all my medical needs...well, not ALL them you understand!...just the airborne ones. ("Get on with it" they cry).
OK. Here's what I know for sure:

1...If you're a UK-based pilot the CAA is your JAA rep, therefore Gatwick is the font of all wisdom, like it or not.
2...There is no two.

Well, that's it. The only other advice I can add is to check out the tonnes of stuff written by other experts, qualified and otherwise, in the medical section of Pprune. Just remember when reading that stuff that an expert is all too often little more than a drip under pressure. The CAA comes in for a lot of stick in many areas (I know) but the medical department, IMHO, is held in a higher than average regard. Talk to them. They won't ground you unless they really have to.

[ncusack]

Thanks Studi.

Also can anyone tell me the difference if any between a JAR Medical class 1 and a CAA class 1?

OAT demand a CAA class one medical and the Swiss authorities issue a JAR class one medical. I assume they are the same thing under different names.

Cheers
Niall

[Blinkz]

the CAA are just the aviation authority in the UK who are members of the JAA/JAR european community. There are however some slight differences in the medicals i think tho. for example the CAA allow up to +-5d correction where as I think the JAR usual is +-3d.

I'm pretty sure that the CAA has to accept a JAR medical tho.

[ncusack]

Cheers Blinkz;
That clears that up. Knowing the Swiss, this medical will be thorough and going on the logical explanation you gave, the it has to be accepted in the UK. My overall health and eyesight is fine other than the C/B part. I hope to God I can pass the Spectrolux test. I have the test on the 7th.

Blinkz I will keep you posted. Who knows maybe it is easier. If I pass with flying colors, it could be an option for you.

Here's hoping;
Ncusack

[Blinkz]

i've been reading the JAR medical requirements and it says that the nagel anomaloscope can be used to prove your colour safe.

I read it to be that if you have a AQ of 4 or less then you are colour safe. does the CAA accept this? or do they only do the two lantern test (HW and beyne).

[Bootlegger]

Makes good reading fellas!!!.....i too failed the plates test, yet fly very regularly PPL(vcl)...i dont think i have any problem distinguishing colours at all....and in real life have never encountered problems. I'm also interested in obtaining my commercial but have been rather put off by the fact that i am supposedly "colour blind". Your comments/advice have certainly motivated me and given me a sense of hope !!...THANX :ok:

[ncusack]

Just a quick update..........Was at Gatwick on Friday to do the offical colour test.......And good news!!!!!!!!!


Failed the H-W test and pased the beynes lantern. Blinkz, If you are woried still, I cn only say go directly to Gatwick as the Beynes is easy. I got the impression that if I didn't pass that, then I shouldn't be flying. Very straight forward set of primary colours.

Anyway.......I am over the moon. Good luck to all you guys with colour worries........it is a huge pain in the :mad: until it is sorted.

Later
NC :ok:

[DOH]

Congrats ncusack,

Just a few quick questions

How much easier was the Beyne than the HW?

I failed the HW a few years ago, I have an unrestricted FAA medical based on the signal light test which I found quite easy, but all the other ones I failed, with the exception of the Titmus Vision tester, Which I passed with some difficulty. When I did the HW I got about 70 % of the combinations right.

Did they do the Beyne in a darkened room?

Regards

DOH

[ncusack]

DOH:

I found it considerably easier but as with all colour vision questions, maybe that was just me. The lights were bigger though and much more defined.......i.e. there was quite a difference between them.

I spoke to the Doc who did the test about it and he said it is strange to fail one and not the other though so who knows?

If I was anyone with worries though, I would make an appointment and speak to this guy at the CAA. It will only cost you 30 Quid and he is very helpful. I've read alot of negativity on Pprune about the CAA at Gatwick, but I have to say I found them very helpful and not looking to put the boot in as reported on here from time to time. That's IMHO. Maybe if I failed, I would have a different opinion but I doubt it. They appeared willing to do what ever they could to get you up in the sky.


Later
Ncusack

[Blinkz]

check your PMs ncusack,

I found the beyne to be easy but misleading. I said the white was yellow as it was a really pale yucky colour and obviously when I saw the real yellow then I knew my mistake. I still think I'm safe to fly so am going to continue trying.

Also failed the H-W too.