Color Deficiency and 1st Class Medical - Career Advice

pilot_flyer

Well-Known Member
Hello everyone. Here's the situation I'm in. I've been a PP for 3 years now and have a 3rd class medical. I'm totally healthy and passed the exam fine except for the color vision portion. I couldn't see the ishihara plates. So, the AME just asked me to identify colors around the room and said I was good. At the time, I had no aspirations to fly professionally. Now, 300 hundred hours later, I have decided that I am going to pursue a career flying (hopefully). I have been worried about the color vision aspect and having to take that test every year for a 1st class. What worries me more is having to take it every 6 months at 40yo. (I'm 30 now) I talked to my wife about it and we agreed that it's too big of a risk to spend the money and time pursuing flying as a career unless I know for sure this isn't going to be a problem. I knew there was always the option of taking the OCVT and MVT ride with the FSDO. So, I went down to the local class C and called the tower and asked them to point the light gun at me. It was a super sunny day and the guy wasn't doing a good job aiming since I was only getting very quick flashes of light. Even so, I had very little problem differentiating red, white and green. On top of that, my wife pulled out a VFR and IFR chart and quizzed me on as many colors that she could find and I did just fine. Therefore, after much deliberation I decided that I wanted to take the OCVT and MVT tests. So, I called the FSDO and asked to talk to an inspector. They connected me to a guy and I told him that I wanted to take those two tests and he explained that I first needed to fail a color vision test and that it all had to go through OKC. He then proceeds to tell me how unfair the FAA is with this and that it was discriminating against individuals with color deficiency. He had a long flying career in the Navy and later flying part 121 and said that it's a bunch of bunk the way they handle this. He told me that all the color deficient individuals need to get together and stand up together to get the FAA to change this. He did tell me that if he were me, he would try to get a medical without risking losing everything. He even told me that I should just memorize the Ishihara plates and pass them that way. (of course he said not to tell anyone that he told me that) We talked for almost 45 min and he also suggested trying the Farnsworth. He was super nice and helpful.

So, here's my situation. I called the medical school here in town and they have no Farnsworth lantern. I have called everybody and their brother in this city and there seems to be none in this city of 1 million. I'm just wondering what advice I can get on here. Should I take my chances and try to "train" myself to do the Ishihara plates and have to worry about this every year and later every 6 months? Or, should I put everything on the line and fail the test and take the OCVT with the FSDO? I hate this is even an issue!! I can see colors just fine. I just can't pass the Ishihara plates. Suggestions???
 
First the AME did not do you any favors.
Second, find a Farnsworth lantern or other alternative color vision test you can pass. Mail the results to the FAA and they will send you an unrestricted medical. You will need to do the alternative color vision test at each medical.
Third, try to ask the tower to show you the light gun (with someone not colorblind in the aircraft with you). If you can pass, consider the OCVT/MFT route. Be aware, if you fail, you can never use an alternative color vision test to pass the medical.
 
I already have an unrestricted medical. I just know that this is going to be an issue down the road at some point and I want to go ahead and take care of this now, before I have a job that depends on me having a medical. I'm very tempted to put everything on the line and do the OCVT/MVT. One question though. How long (generally) does it take from the time my AME sends in the restricted medical to OKC till I'm able to request to take the OCVT? Weeks? Months?
 
To the OP: I have a red/green color deficiency, initially got a "No night flying or flying using and color control devices" or something like that. AKA... no light guns, and no night, which meant no towered airports. So, I was in the same boat you were, sort of. Now, I'm flying for a regional airline.

What MFS said above is the way I went. I had to correct my eyes to 20/20 first, but after that, I redid the Ishihara plate test and passed... however, as of recent I can't pass it, so they went to a Pseudolsochromatic test, which is a little different, and I was able to pass that. However, your best way to do it is the Farnsworth Lantern.

However, I thought if you did the Farnsworth Lantern test, and had that sent into the FAA you could get a Special Issuance, and it's good for life, is that not true doc? There's a company in I believe OKC that advertises this for FAA medicals...... These guys: http://www.myflightsurgeon.com/index.html
 
The FAA no longer issues Letters of Evidence for color vision based on a Farneswort lantern test. That stopped in 2007.
 
I was in the same exact boat. I just went for the medical flight test since I was fairly confident. I can do the ishiharas if its in the binocular kind of testing method. I failed a few of them when they were in 1960s faded book form. I was given a letter of evidence after the medical flight test. Also, my FSDO was extremely accommodating.
 
I think part of why it shows up as a problem among pilots is that quite a few AME's use Ishihara tests that are often pretty faded, and administer the tests in office lighting that can influence how certain colors appear.
 
The FAA no longer issues Letters of Evidence for color vision based on a Farneswort lantern test. That stopped in 2007.

Hi Doctor, I did my Farnsworth lantern at your office in Jan '07. Guess I just got it in time. Any word that they won't except those letters that are already issued in the future?
 
pilot_flyer,
I had a situation similar to yours and decided to put it on the line with the OCVT / MFT to maintain a Class I medical. Gutsy move? Sure was. Do I regret it? Nope. The color vision is beyond your control, you either have what it takes to meet the standard or you don't. Just depends if you want to seek that alternate color vision test for each medical exam, or go the other route. Based on your discussion with the FSDO, it sounds like they are familiar with the situation, understand the consequences at stake here and are willing to communicate.

When I notified OKC of my failed color vision test to request authorization to conduct the OCVT / MFT it took about two weeks if I recall.

Mongoose
 
Hello everyone. Here's the situation I'm in. I've been a PP for 3 years now and have a 3rd class medical. I'm totally healthy and passed the exam fine except for the color vision portion. I couldn't see the ishihara plates. So, the AME just asked me to identify colors around the room and said I was good. At the time, I had no aspirations to fly professionally. Now, 300 hundred hours later, I have decided that I am going to pursue a career flying (hopefully). I have been worried about the color vision aspect and having to take that test every year for a 1st class. What worries me more is having to take it every 6 months at 40yo. (I'm 30 now) I talked to my wife about it and we agreed that it's too big of a risk to spend the money and time pursuing flying as a career unless I know for sure this isn't going to be a problem. I knew there was always the option of taking the OCVT and MVT ride with the FSDO. So, I went down to the local class C and called the tower and asked them to point the light gun at me. It was a super sunny day and the guy wasn't doing a good job aiming since I was only getting very quick flashes of light. Even so, I had very little problem differentiating red, white and green. On top of that, my wife pulled out a VFR and IFR chart and quizzed me on as many colors that she could find and I did just fine. Therefore, after much deliberation I decided that I wanted to take the OCVT and MVT tests. So, I called the FSDO and asked to talk to an inspector. They connected me to a guy and I told him that I wanted to take those two tests and he explained that I first needed to fail a color vision test and that it all had to go through OKC. He then proceeds to tell me how unfair the FAA is with this and that it was discriminating against individuals with color deficiency. He had a long flying career in the Navy and later flying part 121 and said that it's a bunch of bunk the way they handle this. He told me that all the color deficient individuals need to get together and stand up together to get the FAA to change this. He did tell me that if he were me, he would try to get a medical without risking losing everything. He even told me that I should just memorize the Ishihara plates and pass them that way. (of course he said not to tell anyone that he told me that) We talked for almost 45 min and he also suggested trying the Farnsworth. He was super nice and helpful.

So, here's my situation. I called the medical school here in town and they have no Farnsworth lantern. I have called everybody and their brother in this city and there seems to be none in this city of 1 million. I'm just wondering what advice I can get on here. Should I take my chances and try to "train" myself to do the Ishihara plates and have to worry about this every year and later every 6 months? Or, should I put everything on the line and fail the test and take the OCVT with the FSDO? I hate this is even an issue!! I can see colors just fine. I just can't pass the Ishihara plates. Suggestions???


I have gone through the same annoying life altering issue you state here, so I understand the frustration. I am also around the same age as you, still with my pilot career plans on hold.. First and foremost, never, EVER throw an AME or an FAA guy helping you out under the bus.. that means please don't post anything that can get them in trouble in a public forum..Even if you don't mention names or locations, it's still bad for everyone involved, the color deficient included. That aside, here's what I did: Went on FAA site to find the color vision requirements, and acceptable tests... Went on FAA's AME locater, and searched for 15 different AME's within a 50 or 100 mile radius.. Called every single one of them, listed their name and every color vision test they have available next to it. Brought a copy of the color vision pass/fail criteria with me.. Some don't know that you are able to get 5 or less errors on plates 1 to 11 on the 14 plate edition of the ishihara test.. some AME's actually thought you needed to get all or most correct. You only need to get 6 right, and 1 of them is a sample plate, so it's really like getting 5 right plus the sample. The requirement to get most or all correct is not the case in the FAA standard, because they know that is needlessly strict for the purposes of flight safety. (We aren't interior designers here, we don't need to tell every single subtle color difference the way that most women can.) They use ishihara because it's the cheapest and most widely available, it holds no weight over any other testing apparatus, so don't get discouraged if you can't pass any one of the tests.. In my experience, every ishihara book (even the same edition) gives me a different result.. The ink, the pages, the lighting.. it's all too sensitive. The FALANT is an option, but in my opinion also difficult to pass. If your vision isn't razor sharp, those little dots are hard to tell from 8 feet away.. so get glasses or contacts if u need them first, even if only a minor correction. I did pass it, back in 2007, and i swear i was first person to NOT get an LOE based on that, because they sent me an incorrect letter saying it wasn't acceptable any more, then I called and they corrected my medical and then wrote "Oh, sorry, here's your unrestricted medical, but no LOE for you anymore".. Then the OCVT/MFT coincidentally came out less than a year later. I think the erroneous letter was a ploy to hold me up in the system so I couldn't fight it and put this behind me (that's besides the point).. It's important to note here that neither AME's or the FAA themselves can be trusted with the color vision standard.. Most of them have no idea what the correct or current standard even is.. so it's up to you to check the current criteria, and bring it with you as proof to every renewal you get. I'd still recommend trying every test you can find before trying the Fail on purpose and take the OCVT/MFT route.. Don't put your future into the hands of a soulless organization. Most of it is based on a select few trying to defend their PHD and it has no correlation whatsoever with the reality of flight safety. Once you find one you can CONFIDENTLY pass, then stick with that AME, and stick with that test. I am almost certain that you can find one, since you note that you have no real world issues.. this tells me you are probably a mild deutran type. www.cvdpa.com is a good site and they are challenging the standar dall together, with success in Australia.. so check into that as well. But hit the whitepages and start calling some AME's.. PM me if you need any recommendations.. I know this issue really well by now and can help you.
 
I thought you could go get the eye exam done at a regular doctor and bring that paperwork to the AME. That way if you mess up once, your medical wont get yanked and you won't have to go through the whole process.
 
You can get your exam at an eye doctor. Some of them don't do all the tests the FAA wants and most do not have the alternative color vision tests available. If you do this, have the eye doctor complete a Form 8500-7
 
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