Airline Physicals

M

modesto2

New Member
Besides obtaining a first class medical, can someone please explain how airlines conduct their own medical evaluations of pilot applicants? Are they more strict than the FAA? How does it compare to the first class medical?

Any chance that a condition (I have elevated blood pressure) that still qualified me for the first class medical may stop me from being hired from an airline? Thanks.
 
The only one I know of, because I went through it, is AMR's (American/American Eagle) "Astronaut Physical." They made it pretty clear that they could reject anyone they wanted based on their medical exam, whether the applicant held a first class or not. That is the only one I know of that is that thorough. Most regionals don't even do their own medical exams...not sure about the majors/LCC's/nationals though. I think if you can hold a First Class, you're OK.
 
Mine was fairly mellow at my employer. Certainly the 'if you can pass a first class, you shouldn't have a problem'. But it did involve at least three MMPI's (Minnesota Multi-Phone Personality Inventory) throughout the process and they drew A LOT of blood -- heaven only knows what they were looking for. Oh, and a visit with a psychologist.
 
XJT does not conduct their own medical exam, but requires a first class medical with no waivers, SODAs, etc.
 
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XJT does not conduct their own medical exam, but requires a first class medical with no waivers, SODAs, etc

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This is some good info.. Anyone know of other airlines with the same requirements (ie., no waivers or SODAs allowed)?

Thanks
 
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XJT does not conduct their own medical exam, but requires a first class medical with no waivers, SODAs, etc.

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I've heard that most airlines will not take a SODA (I'm assuming you mean a color vision SODA) into consideration when hiring. If someone isn't hired at XJT because of that, can't they just point to the ADA? I wonder if it can even be considered a disability, it sure isn't any disability to me as apart from vision tests, I wouldn't know anything is wrong with me. Being a color deficient (red/green, just like the other 8% of white males) pilot this suprises me because I've heard of airline pilots who are color deficient.

Is this just an XJT thing?
 
I kinda wonder the same thing. I probably wouldn't even know that I'm slightly color blind if my wife wouldn't have pointed it out. Everytime I've gone for a 1st class medical, the doc has never said anything to me about it. I'm terrified that I'm gonna botch the color tests one of these days, though.
 
Steve, can you see the basics ok?

I've got a SODA that I didn't have to use for a class-1, and I'm slightly "heterosexual male"-style colorblind. Small variations in color are fairly hard for me to see, but I can pass the standard color test without a problem.

If I see two identical colors, usually Kristie says "They're two different colors!".

I don't think that men have a colorblindness, per se, just that most women have an exceptional ability to discern small differences in hue, color and brightness.
 
Yeah, I've got the standard male-induced color blindness. I can't tell the difference between green and pseudo light green sometimes, but I can see the ROYGBIV differences.
 
Yea I'm "greek-weak" too. However its sometimes difficult to explaint to a person what exactly a color deficiency is.

To me the sky is blue, the grass is green, apples are red, etc. Its just that a person with normal vision might see a VERY slightly different shade of green when asked what color is the grass. But because I've been taught that grass is green, I call the color I see the grass....as green.

Do you think an applicant would stand a change pointing to the ADA if rejected by an airline because they have a SODA, because the FAA has said they can perceive those colors necessary to perform the duties of an airman blah blah blah?
 
The only test I've ever had was the stantard "look at the book and tell me the numbers" thing. I'm not sure what the technical name is.
 
Ishihara or something like that. That's all I've had, too. When the eye doctor did it, that's when I found out I was slightly off (eyes that is. I'm slightly off in other ways, but that's a different thread). When the AME does it, it's "Tell me what number you see." Most of the time, I can spot the digits right off. Sometimes I have to take a couple of seconds. I haven't had an AME say anything to me yet, so if it weren't for that darn eye doctor, I wouldn't even have this stress.
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XJT does not conduct their own medical exam, but requires a first class medical with no waivers, SODAs, etc.

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Wearing glasses does not fall into that category does it?
 
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FAR 67.103 Eye.

(c) Ability to percieve those colors necessary for the safe performance of airman duties.

[/ QUOTE ] OK... This is what my AME told me... "If the majority of the AME's out there actually read the FARS then there would be a lot less guys failing their color blindness test."

My doc has three sheets of paper on the wall... one is Red, one is Green, and the third is White. He asks you to tell him the colors... That's it. "...colors necessary for the safe performance of airman duties"

I personally can not pass the ishihara test, due to the hues, and that I am slightly blue-green deficient. I can pass the FAA approved alternative tests, but he doesn't perform those. (It is hard to find an AME who does do anything except Ishihara). He does show the ishihara plates... ( I think he's required to show at least one of the approved CB tests) but he says it ultimately boils down to his interpretation of the FARS... thus the colored paper. One of these days I'll go to an eye clinic to get an official alternative test done with a letter/waiver so that I do not have to take the test anymore to pass a Medical... especially since my AME is about to retire! Doh!
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I have no SODA, 1st class, no restrictions.

Bob
 
So once you find an eye specialist that does an alternative test, then have it administered, and then assuming you pass it, do you ever have to do another color vision test at the examiner's office again? So lets say I find a guy who does the Farnsworth Lantern and have that administered on my own dime. So the specialist would issue you a letter/waiver saying what? That you can take the Farnsworth Lantern test every medical exam or that you don't have to do any color vision test at all anymore?

Bob, I just want to make sure I understand what you went through. You didn't pass the Ishihara test but when you were asked to name the colors of the papers, you did so correctly and the doc passed you, correct?
 
Hi Mike,

Apologies if I wasn't too clear on that...

1. Once you find a specialist that does an approved alternative test then you get a letter/waiver from them stating that you passed and you never have to take the color portion of the flight physical again. Below are the listed approved Pseudoisochromatic tests and the Alternatives... You simply have to call around to find someone who can/will administer the tests. No SODA is required after this.

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Pseudo-isochromatic test plates

American Optical Company (AOC) 1965 edition
AOC-HRR 2nd edition
Dvorine 2nd edition
Ishihara 14- plate edition
Ishihara 24-plate edition
Ishihara 38-plate edition
Richmond 1983 edition

Alternative Tests that may be used in lieu of the above

Farnsworth lantern
Keystone orthoscope
Keystone telebinocular
LKC Technologies APT-5
OPTEC 2000 vision tester (models 2000PM, 2000PAME, 2000PI)
Titmus vision tester
Titmus II vision tester
Titmus 2 vision tester

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2. Yes... I could tell the color of the papers!
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I was in the process of calling all around the New England area for AME that did the alternative tests and when I spoke to this one he quoted me the FAR and said "Come on in... If you can tell the difference between red, green, and white, then I'm sure you'll have no problem."

3. I got the information regarding the alternatives from AOPA's medical advice. They said to only try for a SODA as a last resort, because if you have an "off" day then it could spell the end of your night flying and thus a potential career. They said to do what it takes to get the letter/waiver from an eye specialist who administers a test that you can pass, turn that letter over to the FAA and you will get a "Letter of Evidence" from the FAA that you can take with you to each future Medical thus exempting you from the CB portion. That is my next step before my AME retires... I can pass the Richmond (here is the Richmond test) and Farnsworth Lantern tests 100%.

Hope that helps...

Bob
 
Thanks Bob!

I guess the search is on now. That richmond test was easy for me, I just hope its not my monitor skewing the colors in the images. Thanks for the advice
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