Color deficiency - how to fly at night

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timrj

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Tim
I recently had a class 3 medical and I "failed" the color vision check. My color vision is borderline and I am pretty sure I can pass one of the "alternate" tests but it appears the regulations have changed. (for some odd reason the ntsb/faa think that color deficiency was the cause of an accident so they are "Cracking down" on us defective pilots) In the past I took a test at my eye doctor and it was sufficient to show a letter to the medical examiner. But no more.

I am pretty sure the test scenario was not done to specifications of the test (lighting in the room, etc)

I can get one of the other tests that I can pass (just barely), but I don;t think most examiners have all the tests in their offices. If I show up with my own I expect that they will raise eyebrows and be suspicious.

(The whole thing is pretty odd if you ask me. I can tell green and red apart just fine, but for some reason the FAA deems it necessary to be able to pass a test that is specifically designed to confuse the eyes of some part of the population.)


What are my best options? It was unclear to me how to go about this.

I am a private pilot and would like to eventually do some CFI work, though not as my primary occupation.

Am I stuck getting some SODA every time I take a medical? And what is the process for doing that?
 
I have a paper from the FAA saying I can see colors, although my fashion choices sometimes indicate othewise :)

Seriously though it's a one time test. When I did it they sent me to the FSDO in MKE and shot the light gun at me. As long as you can differentiate red white and green lights you're set.
 
tonycondon said:
no no no what i meant was if you can't pass the test at teh dr's office then you have to do the SODA but that is a one time thing.
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Hmm. That is what I thought - and that is the way it USED to be, but is it still the case? From what I have been reading that has changed. Apparently there are flight tests now, etc?
 
timrj said:
Hmm. That is what I thought - but from what I have been reading that has changed. Apparently there are flight tests now, etc?
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i'm not sure what is involved in the test. Our resident aeromedical expert, Dr. Bruce, will be around eventually to set us all straight.
 
vontresc said:
I have a paper from the FAA saying I can see colors, although my fashion choices sometimes indicate othewise :)

Seriously though it's a one time test. When I did it they sent me to the FSDO in MKE and shot the light gun at me. As long as you can differentiate red white and green lights you're set.
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When was this?
 
vontresc said:
I have a paper from the FAA saying I can see colors, although my fashion choices sometimes indicate othewise :)
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I thought your fashion color choice mainly boiled down to what color of Tshirts were available at the last Vintage Sailplane meet.
 
the ntsb/faa think that color deficiency was the cause of an accident
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My understanding is that there was a runway undershoot incident...larger aircraft...possibly cargo....2-pilot....about 5? years ago (anyone recall it?) and darn it if the pilot, trying to somehow save face - blamed his inability to see multicolored approach slope indicator lights for the wreck. It was widely thought at the time that he was giving an excuse for what was most likely a simple misjudgement of his physical position, or of the aircraft's energy.
And now the rest of us have to live with the FAA's interpretation of his post-accident blurt.

Amazing what us normal folks have to put up with to accommodate all the color-hypersensitive people out there!
:D

In all seriousness, in my opinion, it is exceedingly remote that color vision would ever be the tipping point in any type of aviation accident. And, I think with some minor changes, the need for perfect color vision could be completely eliminated from aviation.
 
timrj said:
OK, based on that I can still take an alternate test. Thanks.
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That is what I took from it as well. A friend of mine who is colorblind was bemoaning something about the test changing earlier this year. But I honestly did not register it in long term memory. I do know that he had passed the test before because he actually took the time to memorize which plate number had which number displayed on it and now they changed something.

Dr. Bruce is the guy to really give you the definitive answer and interpretation of what is happening.
 
ScottM said:
That is what I took from it as well. A friend of mine who is colorblind was bemoaning something about the test changing earlier this year. But I honestly did not register it in long term memory. I do know that he had passed the test before because he actually took the time to memorize which plate number had which number displayed on it and now they changed something.

Dr. Bruce is the guy to really give you the definitive answer and interpretation of what is happening.
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Thanks. I get very different advice each time I ask so I have not done anything about the restriction since my exam in February. (As I said, for about 10 years I have been ok with a letter from my eye doctor).

I bought the Dvorine book and can pass the minimal required items without cheating. But there is no wiggle room. I planned on bringing it to an examiner since the ones I have seen over the years have only the ishihara I think. I am not interested in memorizing because I doubt good things can come of that.
 
Hmm. This part is interesting as well:

"[FONT=&quot]If you hold a statement of demonstrated ability (SODA) or a letter of evidence that was issued before July 2008, your color vision waiver is grandfathered, and you will not be required to test according to the new procedure.[/FONT] "

Too bad I did not get the SODA and relied instead on the letter form my doctor - I would have no problem. (though this seems to me to be a huge loophole and inconsistent with the "crackdown" on the very (perceived) "problem" they are trying to correct.
 
Tim you don't understand what a SODA is. It's a one time, permanent now -forget about it wiaver. It's on file at OKC.

You've been doing letters of demonstrated performance.

The attached write up tells the story. You need to go practice the light gun signals test, and drill in the call E to the ground magenta dashed lines vs. the blue ones on the sectional. Do it under fluorescent light, 'cause that's what you'll have at the FSDO.

Do not try for a second class waiver. That involves a flight test. Practice practice practice. You only get to do the waiver (at the FSDO) twice, and if you fail twice the "nor valid for flight at night" and "not valid for flight by light gun color signal" become permanent.

If a candidate brought in his own color dots, that would raise too many red flags.

I've posted about this a zillion times on the red board, and I believe even here, but I think I've missed the audience. The ship has sailed. See AAR 04/02 (google it) and you'll understand why.

Procedure: you go to the AME, fail your dots. Then you get a referral about six weeks later to the FSDO for the wiaver exam.
 

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