What happens in the Class 2 Medical?

[IO540]

but I have never read a chart with coloured spots.

That's because the colour vision test is done only once per lifetime.

There are 4 methods you can use (Isihara plates, Wright-Holmes Lantern test, Spectrolux, 1 other?) and once you pass any one of these you are done for the rest of your life. But if you fail any one of them you are not allowed to re-take that test ever again until you die, anywhere in the world.

Yes it is bizzare.

A lot of people fail the Isihara plates. They are not really a CV test; it is a very difficult colour pattern recognition test which means almost nothing regarding CV. This was established years ago but the aviation people still offer the Isihara test as the initial one. The Lantern test is about the only realistic one.

For obvious reasons many ATPL candidates get their initial CV test done as far away from the UK CAA as they can...

I have a pretty good medical going over that could throw up early symptoms of something nasty.

Highly highly unlikely he will find anything you can't feel yourself - except perhaps in blood or urine tests.

One AME I know reckons the medical is almost worthless for determining if the pilot is going to drop dead before the next medical, but the fear of failing it (and losing one's job) is what keeps pilots that little bit healthier than the population average which nowadays is pretty dire obesity-wise.

[gchangflyer]

Yes, It is amazing how many differences there are in medicals,even under the same Aviation Authority.

I've only ever been to one AME, for almost 10 years now for both class 1 and 2 medicals, but my girlfriend, who has a student pilot's licence, went for her medical and had to get a breast exam quite unexpectedly (she's 25).This was out of nowhere as she has no history of family breast problems etc. She wasn't told about the breast exam prior, but was allowed to keep her bra on and it was done under her top but over her bra.

After hearing this, I asked around amongst my female colleagues who have all had both class 1 and 2 medicals , and none of them had ever had a breast exam?

My girlfriend does have rather delicious breasts,I'm not sure if that had anything to do with it, though I know the AME she used and I have a lot of respect for him.

Oh and I do a 'colour blindness' test every year for my class 1. If thats the one with the pastel coloured dots that are supposed to hide a number? Yeah, I do that every year!

[thing]

I had my goolies checked but my AME has a beard.

[flybymike]

A lot of the female AMEs have one.

[jxc]

gchangflyer

If her AME needs a second opinion I will on this occasion offer my services for free

[UV]

although ive never had an attack and havent used an inhaler since my early teens.

what should i do?

say nowt...seriously. You will only regret it.

[IO540]

Oh and I do a 'colour blindness' test every year for my class 1

That's completely bizzare. Are you required to do so in writing?

I am not a doctor but what does checking boobs have to do with assessing the chances of pilot incapacitation which is what this is supposed to be all about?

[Redbird72]

i am diagnosed with mild asthma although ive never had an attack and havent used an inhaler since my early teens.

It shouldn't be a problem at all; I'm the same as you - started using an inhaler in my early twenties, never hospitalised, never had an attack. AME took my word for it, didn't ask for a GP report but may have done a peak flow test (5yrs ago now, can't recall).

BTW, word of warning - once you have asthma on your records, GP's can be very quick to attribute any respiratory/ENT issues to it, without looking further. Early this year my GP had me convinced that my asthma had seriously worsened (potential to lose my class 2!), but when I pushed to see a consultant, it turned out to be acid reflux

[McGoonagall]

That's completely bizzare. Are you required to do so in writing?

I'm required to do the Ishihara test everytime my train drivers medical comes round. Some quite senior drivers have failed the test in later life having passed it throughout their careers without problem. Subsequent alternative tests have seen the majority pass although one or two were finished with driving.

[IO540]

OK; I thought you were a pilot of an aircraft.

Interesting they do that, because the "prevailing wisdom" in aviation is that CV very rarely degrades as one ages.

[mad_jock]

Dinna be scared of the medical.

In some ways it returns your faith in the medical proffession.

The doctors have alot more time to deal with you than they would in a normal NHS situation. The are all aviation savy and enjoy talking about it.

They do sometimes go over the minmum required, a finger up your bum when your over 40 and ****ing in a box is just there way of doing the job properly for your better well being. I would suspect they would like to do it for everyone on thier books but time and resources means they can't. Getting your breasts examined might be embaressing for some but they are just taking an opertunity which most of the rest of the population don't get, to give you a right good check up.

There is an AME in ABZ who is very proud of the number of early cancer cases he has found on medicals. Most of which are still in this world flying aircraft.

And all the AME's I know if you have an issue with taking your shirt off will be more than happy to sort through any problems.

One I know has done time in Africa sorting out torture victims and doing plastic surgery on them to give them better self respect to aid with the mental healing. I doudt very much that you will have something special that they haven't seen before.

[stewmath]

Ive never had an issue with the Ishihara test, i can spot the numbers in them in a split second to be honest. Dunno why people worry about them

[mad_jock]

Sometime if you can spot things thats an issue. What to some people looks to me as if its jumble of dots looks to them as a number.

So sometimes seeing things is just as bad as not.

[theapplepie]

Thanks for the replies, including the saractic/humourous, really made be chuckle! I think I'll just go ahead and see what happens. I'm also surprised there's so much variation though, I hope my AME isn't one of the more eager types apparent in this thread

As for the reason why I hate taking my shirt off, it's just an annoying deformity I was born with on my chest, nothing interesting, no sharks or alligators unfortunately

[S-Works]

I went out with a girl who had three nipples once. Did not know wherevto start.....

[Domzy]

Ive never had an issue with the Ishihara test, i can spot the numbers in them in a split second to be honest. Dunno why people worry about them

Because some people cannot see them (like me) well not all of them anyway. I know im very slightly colourblind and will hopefully be doing my PPL in the near future. I currently work as a firefighter and was told that i couldnt join as i was colourblind. I took this further and found out i had to do further tests like the colour arrangement test and the lantern test, which i did and passed and as it it turned out i was only very slightly <5% colour blind and was eliglble to join the fire service. As mentioned ive already sat a lantern test to join the fire service, so if i had to take my medical (and fail the ishiara test plates - which i will) would i be allowed to use previous lantern test results to back up the fact that i can distinguish red/green/white light or would i have to sit a CAA/FAA approved test?

Sorry for hi-jacking the thread but if anyone can shed any light (pun intended) on this id be grateful.

p.s this is my first post

Dominic.

[McGoonagall]

I know im very slightly colourblind and will hopefully be doing my PPL in the near future.

If you only intend to fly for fun then go for a NPPL(A). This requires a medical declaration which your GP will, after examination, sign. It is of a similar standard to a HGV driver.

[Domzy]

Well i would like to get night rating, ifr, possibly even ME in the future. looked at the nppl, and dont think thats for me tbh. If it came to it i would still do the ppl with daylight only restriction. This may be a stupid question but can i still get ifr rating without a night rating?

[IO540]

The Isihara test is not a colour vision test. It is a test for the ability to see colour patterns. If your colour vision is absolutely perfect then you will pass the Isihara test, but many people (mostly males) fail it.

I fail it comprehensively but pass the Lantern Test 100%, with and without glasses.

And I can spell out every colour you stick under my nose.

It doesn't matter (because there are other options) provided your AME tells you there are the other options.

BTW, I cannot see any reason why an AME should do a digital examination of somebody's prostate, in the absence of symptoms of the various possible disorders. Maybe an AME will drop in here and set us all straight?

You can get a day-only IMC Rating, and you can get a day-only IR (at present). The latter option is not advertised, and I vaguely recall there are limits like no commercial work.

[Domzy]

It is of a similar standard to a HGV driver.

Funny you mentioned that the service are putting me through my LGV license, of which i have my medical next tuesday. ill enquire when im in if i can get a copy of my previous lantern tests etc. does anyone know what the pass/fail marks are for the specified tests?