Medical revoked - Options
 

Hi guys,

Long story short, I've lost my class 1 medical during my Type Rating and now I am looking for options. What I have left is a Class 2 medical limited to day only.

Do you think I still have a chance in this industry besides to take it only as a hobby?

I am feeling broken inside getting these news and I am completely lost.

Any feedback is appreciated..

What other skills have you? Even if you don't work as a pilot you could find something useful in an airline or leasing company. Your knowledge of the industry, the rules and regulations may be useful.

Airlines also need HR specialists, finance specialists, planners, crew control and flight dispatchers. There are lots of areas you could look into, and get into the industry.

Unfortunately is related to my color vision, so I cannot do much about it.

Do some searching - many people have challenged these decisions

The story is like this. In January 2017 I applied for a class 1 medical in Czech Republic, but I failed it due to my color vision deficiency and I got a class 2 medical limited to day time only. When I found out, I was a bit devastated cause I had no idea about my condition.
But then, 3 months after, I went to Italy and they granted me a Class 1 medical after I failed Ishihara, but passed Beyne Lantern test and I was considered Chromatically Safe.
In 2019 I have initiated the transfer to AustroControl for my license and medical because of the CPL and MEP examiner availability ( much faster than CZ)
During this process, a very slow one, they couldn't transfer my medical files to Austria because there was no record of a class 1 medical obtained in Czech Republic as I obtained it in Italy in 2017.
Last year, in 2020 I went for an airline interview and I passed it. After this, they asked me if I am able to pay 30k for the type rating and I took the shoot.
This year I've started the TR, and in order to have the rating on my license, I had to transfer it to Ireland and by doing so, I've signed the end of my career as a pilot.
When AustroControl obtained the medical files from Italy, they saw that I failed Ishihara but I passed it with a Beyne Lantern test. It was probably suspicious for them as Czech Republic also failed me for a Class 1.
So what they did is to invite me a couple of days ago in Vienna for a CAD test.

I failed that with flying colors if I might say
My TR stopped immediately obviously and now I have to post my medical to AustroControl.
I've lost time, money, energy and a path. Looking for alternatives at the moment and even consider another country where this is acceptable.

I'm not sure if this is of any help, but I believe colour deficiency isn't an issue in Australia.

Get a second opinion on the lantern test you did in italy. If it is still a fail, sue the doctor that passed you. You're financially severely out of pocket for the costs of training based on his reccomendation and he should have insurances to compensate incurred lossess?

Clearly that is the nuclear option, but if they passed you when they shouldn't have, your expenses are not your fault and you received bad advice from a trusted professional.

Giggity. I m not sure what you would be suing the doctor for? The OP was aware of the deficiency from the first forum and then tried a different forum where the deficiency was confirmed but a second test was passed on the day. Not much difference from passing your ECG and then having a cardiac event the following week? The test simply gives a result, it isn’t a guarantee of anything. I don’t know, but very much doubt the administering clinician provided recommendations for flight training based on the result of a test?

My type rating instructor didn’t have his class 1 medical either but was qualified to teach in sim.
Might be worth looking into

Beaker

Indeed CASA is actually having some extra options for CVD pilots, but I am not sure if I am willing to relocate to another continent to do this. By the way, FAA is also having something similar but as I said before...
Thanks for your input.

giggitygiggity

I am not sure if I would sue the doctor who passed me, nor anybody honestly.

I would be just glad to find a job at the moment and that's it.

Warlock1

I actually found a position available as a ground instructor in UK and the guys are willing to hire me, but unfortunately I don't have the right to work in UK because of BREXIT.
I tried to apply for a pre settle status, but they rejected me.

I am appreciating all the help guys, thanks a lot !

I’m sorry to say you shouldn’t be surprised.
You already had notice from the Czech authorities that you did not qualify for a Class 1.
Its a little difficult for me to believe that you never ever in your life suspected a color deficiency.
You basically shopped around till you found a Dr that failed you on one and passed you in the other one.
You could have suspected the license transfer would be a problem.
In any case that’s all behind you now.
Simulator instructor, ground instructor, cabin crew, Dispatch, airport operations are all options for you.
Maybe fly and teach aerobatics on the side?
Unfortunately this happens every day that somebody looses their medical.

This is just an afterthought and shouldn’t be considered a recommendation:
You may just barely qualify for a FAA Medical First Class and transfer over all your licenses and find a way that you can fly US registered aircraft without actually working in the US as a greencard or work permit are out of the question.

Except for the FAA…..medicals in other parts of the world can be very, very strict.
China is (in)famous for their astronaut like physicals and many countries are close behind.

Every single medical I ever went to, they never ever skipped the Ishihara test. Perhaps you should go to an eye specialist who can explain your condition better. Technology might eventually catch up to solve the issue. There are some color vision enhancing glasses out there. Sometimes the right AME can figure out how to push through or do a special issuance, so instead of a plain VDL,VNL, VML you would get an "xyz color lenses required" or "color enhancing corrective lenses for night" or something, let's call it VCL.
AMEs and specialists will work with you as long as you are honest to yourself and them. Since you passed the other test your condition may be correctable with special glasses, again you should seek a specialist to figure out if your deficiency is correctable or may become correctable with technology in the coming years. Since we live in the age of monitors almost everyone needs some type of vision correction sooner or later. However, your administrative dishonesty is also something you have to work your way through. You failed yourself in handling your decision making process. The good news is you still got a 2nd class. 10-20 years ago you might not have qualified to drive a car, nevermind getting airborne, so you're pretty lucky overall.