Eyesight...
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Leeds
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Eye sight
My apologies if their is an earlier thread, couldn't find it. At decision stage at the minute i.e. have my ppl and extra hours, now must decide whether to spend larger amounts to achieve CPL and IR, career change. I have a class 1 medical but do have to wear classes for driving (and flying). Despite having a class 1 medical, am i likely to get over looked by airliners as, without glasses, my eye sight might not be as good as other potentials - to make matter worse i'll be 32 by the time i'm fully qualified.
Wunderbra
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Bedford, UK
Age: 44
Posts: 313
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
As regards the glasses, the airline that discounted pilots who have full class one medical because they have to wear glasses would be very short sighted!
More important is your aptitude and character!
Aviation law requires that you always carry a spare pair of glasses when fyling, but other than this the fact that you don't have perfect vision irrelevant. A class one is a class one!
OK so some companies (well, just the one as far as I know, BA) might have slightly higher standards, but if you have all the qualifications and are "the right sort of person" then I think there is a good amount of flexibility in the requirements.
As an aside, I initially failed my class one due to a muscle imbalance in my eye. I have since had corrective surgery involving shortening the imbalanced muscle, and have attained the required standard for class 1 medical. I am currently studying for my ATPL's on an integrated course.
If you are concerned or unsure, and the information available online (see the links to the medical section on the archive thread) is insufficient then it is well worth phoning the CAA medical centre at Gatwick and asking to speak tot he relevant specialist. I found the opthalmologist extremely helpful, and he genuinely seemed gutted when I first went and he had to decline the medical! A thoroughly nice bloke! He even spent half an hour going through the options with me, and trying to see if there was any chance I might be able to have the class one as was!
Good luck to anyone who is going through the medical process!
More important is your aptitude and character!
Aviation law requires that you always carry a spare pair of glasses when fyling, but other than this the fact that you don't have perfect vision irrelevant. A class one is a class one!
OK so some companies (well, just the one as far as I know, BA) might have slightly higher standards, but if you have all the qualifications and are "the right sort of person" then I think there is a good amount of flexibility in the requirements.
As an aside, I initially failed my class one due to a muscle imbalance in my eye. I have since had corrective surgery involving shortening the imbalanced muscle, and have attained the required standard for class 1 medical. I am currently studying for my ATPL's on an integrated course.
If you are concerned or unsure, and the information available online (see the links to the medical section on the archive thread) is insufficient then it is well worth phoning the CAA medical centre at Gatwick and asking to speak tot he relevant specialist. I found the opthalmologist extremely helpful, and he genuinely seemed gutted when I first went and he had to decline the medical! A thoroughly nice bloke! He even spent half an hour going through the options with me, and trying to see if there was any chance I might be able to have the class one as was!
Good luck to anyone who is going through the medical process!
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: London
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Facing the Harse Truth of Employement
hey all,
well im new to these forums, names michael and im 17.
well ive had one major question on my mind, and that is it more likely for an airline company to employee a person if they have 20/20 vision, over a person such as myself with almost perfect vision ( -1.5 D correctible to 20/20)
I have this notion because it seems only logical if i were the employee to take on a person who could be said is "smack on the spot".
Of course this is dependent on a persons qualifications but,lets pretend both potential employees have have achieved the same qualifications.
what views do you guys n girls have on this?
well im new to these forums, names michael and im 17.
well ive had one major question on my mind, and that is it more likely for an airline company to employee a person if they have 20/20 vision, over a person such as myself with almost perfect vision ( -1.5 D correctible to 20/20)
I have this notion because it seems only logical if i were the employee to take on a person who could be said is "smack on the spot".
Of course this is dependent on a persons qualifications but,lets pretend both potential employees have have achieved the same qualifications.
what views do you guys n girls have on this?
TightYorksherMan
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Peak District
Age: 41
Posts: 1,570
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
errr..
possible but if you have a medical - you have a medical!!
When i was interviewed they didnt ask if i was on the boundary to wear glasses or not....
possible but if you have a medical - you have a medical!!
When i was interviewed they didnt ask if i was on the boundary to wear glasses or not....
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: EU
Posts: 961
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
legally, it is not their buiness.and they don't have access to your files!so you can tell them whatever you want to make them happy!
as long you have a medical, you have the right to fly.
as long you have a medical, you have the right to fly.
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: London
Posts: 127
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hello Michael
I am almost running out the door as I write this so I will be brief.
You have lots of time at 17 to become a pilot. Your eyesight from the info you have given is well within the requirements for a JAA Class 1 even the UK one.
But before you go clambering off to flight school, one thing I am certain of is outside of medicals, a potential employer would like to see that you have gained a little bit of life experience before letting you loose on an airliner.
Get a degree. You will be finished it by the time you are 21. Then take a year off and travel through Asia and South America. After that, you should have a little more "life experience" hours under your belt.
Don't get me wrong, there are 20 year olds out there in the right hand seat and they are great pilots but they have sacrificed, for the moment, the joys of independent travel and seeing the world from a grassroots level.
We'll all still be here when you get back so.....give yourself some time and good luck to you!
Farrell
I am almost running out the door as I write this so I will be brief.
You have lots of time at 17 to become a pilot. Your eyesight from the info you have given is well within the requirements for a JAA Class 1 even the UK one.
But before you go clambering off to flight school, one thing I am certain of is outside of medicals, a potential employer would like to see that you have gained a little bit of life experience before letting you loose on an airliner.
Get a degree. You will be finished it by the time you are 21. Then take a year off and travel through Asia and South America. After that, you should have a little more "life experience" hours under your belt.
Don't get me wrong, there are 20 year olds out there in the right hand seat and they are great pilots but they have sacrificed, for the moment, the joys of independent travel and seeing the world from a grassroots level.
We'll all still be here when you get back so.....give yourself some time and good luck to you!
Farrell
ahwell we well see in a few years what will happen, touch wood I will be flying high one day
I don't mind not living the fancy life and having loads of money, having enough to get me by with some extra left for personal use, would suit me just fine. Id rather be in that situation and flying rather than having loads of dosh and not flying.
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: London
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hello Michael
I am almost running out the door as I write this so I will be brief.
You have lots of time at 17 to become a pilot. Your eyesight from the info you have given is well within the requirements for a JAA Class 1 even the UK one.
But before you go clambering off to flight school, one thing I am certain of is outside of medicals, a potential employer would like to see that you have gained a little bit of life experience before letting you loose on an airliner.
Get a degree. You will be finished it by the time you are 21. Then take a year off and travel through Asia and South America. After that, you should have a little more "life experience" hours under your belt.
Don't get me wrong, there are 20 year olds out there in the right hand seat and they are great pilots but they have sacrificed, for the moment, the joys of independent travel and seeing the world from a grassroots level.
We'll all still be here when you get back so.....give yourself some time and good luck to you!
Farrell
I am almost running out the door as I write this so I will be brief.
You have lots of time at 17 to become a pilot. Your eyesight from the info you have given is well within the requirements for a JAA Class 1 even the UK one.
But before you go clambering off to flight school, one thing I am certain of is outside of medicals, a potential employer would like to see that you have gained a little bit of life experience before letting you loose on an airliner.
Get a degree. You will be finished it by the time you are 21. Then take a year off and travel through Asia and South America. After that, you should have a little more "life experience" hours under your belt.
Don't get me wrong, there are 20 year olds out there in the right hand seat and they are great pilots but they have sacrificed, for the moment, the joys of independent travel and seeing the world from a grassroots level.
We'll all still be here when you get back so.....give yourself some time and good luck to you!
Farrell
And on the exprience part you were talking about, for the time being ive been trying to get a work experience placement or even a part time job at my local airfield.
____________________________________________________________ __
cheers for the feedback everyone, atleast now the eyesight question ive been thinking of is now set aside
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Malaysia
Age: 41
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
hi, i'm just a passer-by but would really liked to know more about the requirement to be a pilot. If a person experienced some difficulty in comparing the colours ( you can say it is colour blind, but still manage to differentiate yellow, red, green, blue and some 'simple' colour), is it a gap for him/her to become a aviator in the future?? Sorry, if i made it too difficult to understand.
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Doncaster
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
What are the renewal specifications for class 1?
Hey there, i was just wondering what the renewal specifications are for the class 1?
Im 17 i wear glasses and i am just out of the boundry on one eye.
Basically what are my chances, i mean i feel like up to now iv been sacrificying everything to be a pilot.
Im studying Aerospace engineering, Airline and Airport Operations at college.
Could i get it on the renewal, or should i have the laser treatment.
ACPT747
Im 17 i wear glasses and i am just out of the boundry on one eye.
Basically what are my chances, i mean i feel like up to now iv been sacrificying everything to be a pilot.
Im studying Aerospace engineering, Airline and Airport Operations at college.
Could i get it on the renewal, or should i have the laser treatment.
ACPT747
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: between the books
Posts: 173
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You can check on the JAA website or the CAA for Civil Medical Requirements.
Join Date: Dec 1997
Location: Suffolk UK
Posts: 4,927
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
PPL 152 Go to the Military Aircrew forum, look through the sticky on RAF recruiting.
Unicorn Colour blindness is not acceptable in a pilot. As far as I am aware, there are no exceptions to this for commercial licences.
Scroggs
Unicorn Colour blindness is not acceptable in a pilot. As far as I am aware, there are no exceptions to this for commercial licences.
Scroggs
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: The pits of lancashire
Age: 43
Posts: 102
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hey there, i was just wondering what the renewal specifications are for the class 1?
Im 17 i wear glasses and i am just out of the boundry on one eye.
Basically what are my chances, i mean i feel like up to now iv been sacrificying everything to be a pilot.
Im studying Aerospace engineering, Airline and Airport Operations at college.
Could i get it on the renewal, or should i have the laser treatment.
ACPT747
Im 17 i wear glasses and i am just out of the boundry on one eye.
Basically what are my chances, i mean i feel like up to now iv been sacrificying everything to be a pilot.
Im studying Aerospace engineering, Airline and Airport Operations at college.
Could i get it on the renewal, or should i have the laser treatment.
ACPT747
Moderatrix
Test Pilot for Annick Goutal
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: .
Posts: 1,249
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hello Wannabes. You might like to do a search in Medical Forum for discussion also. Eyesight http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=220545 (about 400 posts on the topic).
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Malaysia
Age: 41
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
scroggs Thanks for your advice. For the passenger's safety concern, i think it's time for me to let go and search for another possible career. But it's hard to do so, IT IS... thanks anyway.
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: South Africa
Age: 43
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Concidering an ATPL career: please advise!
Good day!
I am 26 and have been envolved with commercial aviation since 20 but only in the office side of the job. I am concidering a career change and would like to train to become an airline pilot.
I am in good health, but I have a rather poor eyesight: -4.75 and -4.5
I heard that nowadays they allow people to fly with corrective lenses/glasses even if your sight is not 100%. But I'd like to know from experienced pilots here if there is a limit to how bad your eyesight can be? Or do they now accept as long as you have 100% sight in corrective lenses? I wear soft contact lenses for over 8 years now.
I need to know this before I go for official med exam. Any advise?
Thank You.
I am 26 and have been envolved with commercial aviation since 20 but only in the office side of the job. I am concidering a career change and would like to train to become an airline pilot.
I am in good health, but I have a rather poor eyesight: -4.75 and -4.5
I heard that nowadays they allow people to fly with corrective lenses/glasses even if your sight is not 100%. But I'd like to know from experienced pilots here if there is a limit to how bad your eyesight can be? Or do they now accept as long as you have 100% sight in corrective lenses? I wear soft contact lenses for over 8 years now.
I need to know this before I go for official med exam. Any advise?
Thank You.
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: between the books
Posts: 173
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I guess you can check in the CAA website and as far as I know the limit is +/-5. Not sure though.
Also, you might wanna check in the Medical Forum here at PPRuNe.
Also, you might wanna check in the Medical Forum here at PPRuNe.
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: www.jet-screen.co.uk
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
New eyesight limits...
The CAA recently announced that there had been revisions to the eyesight requirements for Class 1 Medicals. I believe you can now get an initial medical with -6 dioptres (there are limits on anisometropia) and get a renewal with NO lower limit on eyesight.
HTH
HTH