Color Deficiency Issue...

justind0805

Well-Known Member
Trying to get some insight on a particular situation I am facing.

I am currently flight instructing in the Austin, TX area. I started flying back in 2006, when I took my first medical exam and passed with flying colors. I got my PPL in 2006 and flew off and on throughout college. I graduated college in 2009 where I was now going to finish all of my flight training and get the show on the road, so I did the smart thing and renewed my medical just to make SURE I was not going to waste all of my money and then later find out I would not be able to continue my aviation career. Well, it went great and I walked away with a brand new medical and my new goal of becoming a flight instructor.

I went through all of the training (Instrument, CMEL, CSEL, MEI, CFI, and CFII) and now have been flight instructing for about 7 months now. YAH!

Here comes the bad news. Last week I went to renew my FIRST class medical and everything went great until the AME brought out the Color Plates. I was totally shocked that I could not make out the exact numbers! The AME was concerned as well since this was my third medical in my lifetime.

It turns out he passed me with no limitations, BUT it is only good for 12 months. He told me that I really need to go get the light gun test with the FSDO so I wouldn't have to test my color vision again. So I have been reading up on all of my options and CANNOT figure out the best route to take.

After research I have found out I would have to take the light gun test and also a Flight Test!? jeeeze. Do I think I can pass it? of course. But there is always that chance that I might miss one signal or mess up one light on the Approach lights or Runways lights or even if he asks the tower to give us a light gun test from the air!? Not good, I really don't want to put my aviation career in jeopardy like that! I have also read about some alternate tests I could do with an optometrist right before my visit with an AME every year and he wont even test the color vision. If so, what is the process and where do I find the forms for the optometrist to fill out?

After all of the hard work and determination I find this situation mind-blowing. If anyone out there has any advise it would be extremely, and I repeat, EXTREMELY appreciated.

Thanks
 
I had a deficiency also, and took an Ishihara 24 plate test with my normal Optometrist and he submitted that to my AME. The AME then sent it off to the FAA and they issued me a first class medical with no restriction as well as a Letter of Exemption that I had to provide to the AME and any new AME after that. My new AME told me I need a SODA card, but the FSDO told me that I do not because I have the Letter of Exemption. You may want to talk to your normal optometrist if you have one and they can help you out with better tests for color vision.
 
I had a deficiency also, and took an Ishihara 24 plate test with my normal Optometrist and he submitted that to my AME. The AME then sent it off to the FAA and they issued me a first class medical with no restriction as well as a Letter of Exemption that I had to provide to the AME and any new AME after that. My new AME told me I need a SODA card, but the FSDO told me that I do not because I have the Letter of Exemption. You may want to talk to your normal optometrist if you have one and they can help you out with better tests for color vision.

How long ago was this? I was under the impression that they weren't issuing LOEs anymore. The only way to not have to take a color vision test at each renewal is to take the flight exam with the FSDO. Not 100% sure, and I'm sure the good doctor will chime in on this one.

Also, if I found a place (say an optometry school) that could administer a Farnsworth Lantern or Optec 9000 test, could I just take the test with them, get the 8500-7 form filled out and bring that to my next medical renewal?
 
The only way to get a LOE is take the OCVT and MFT (for Class 1 and 2).

Yes, you can use the 8500-7 to get the Farnsworth info to the AME and FAA.
 
Justin -
I successfully completed both the OCVT and MFT at the Class I Medical level in May of 2010 in California. Drop me a line and I'd be more than happy to share my experience.

Mongoose
 
OCVT / MFT - My Experience

Good Evening,
At the request of doc, I'll state my experience while conducting the OCVT and MFT with the FAA at the Class I medical level. I previously described my experience with the OCVT, so I'll state how the MFT went (and feel free to let me know if you'd like more information). I have always maintained a Class I medical and currently have 2200 flight hours in my logbook.

First of all, I made the decision after a good month of 'soul searching' to take the OCVT and MFT. You have heard right, the consequences of not passing either the OCVT or MFT are severe, and must be considered carefully before you declare to the FAA that you would like authorization to begin these tests.

My MFT session was conducted at San Jose, CA. I rented a C-172 from Monterey and as you can imagine, my heart was in my throat during my short cross country trip north. I kept saying 'Man, I have to pass this because if I don't, they're gonna yank my medical!'. I land at San Jose and have two inspectors greet me plane-side. Thankfully, these two - outstanding - inspectors were the very same pair that conducted the OCVT with me. The outlined what I should expect during a brief ground briefing and we fired up the engine.

On the taxi to the runway, they were asking me questions about the colors on the cockpit gauges, the knobs, the needles, the difference in color of the asphalt, the color of the light filters atop poles and runway / taxiway signs. During the 0.7 hour MFT, they asked me alot of terrain questions (i.e. Tell me what you see on that hill over there). A pretty funny scenario was while I was on approach to land, they had me look out at the 9 o'clock low and identify some bright colors. I says 'Man, those are some wild orange and purple wildflowers' and they laugh and say 'Well, you got the colors right, but that's a skeet / trap range down there'.

We 'diverted' to an uncontrolled airfield, simulated a power off landing and had me read the VASI's. We paused briefly, then the lead inspector switched seats so his colleague could have a chance to ask me additional questions. In this case, it's rare to have an aviator 'put it all on the line' by going through the OCVT and MFT so they used my check-ride as a practical training session. the way back to San Jose was simlar questions (i.e. what kind of grass is over there, how about the color of the roof tops, what's that light flashing at us over to our 2 o'clock).

There was never an instance of them requesting light gun signals while airborne - this was covered by the OCVT (which will include light fun signals from 1k and 1.5k distance from the tower. You'll see the light for 3 seconds, followed by 2 minutes of 'cool down' to let your retina de-burn. 6 combinations of lights at each position and you can miss any of them. Get through that, she for the Class I / II Medical they'll also have you identify colors on a sectional chart).

As a result of me passing the OCVT / MFT, the FAA issued me a Letter Of Evidence, not a SODA, that I simply present to my FAA AME for my annual physical. It simply states that I have satisfactorily demonstrated my ability to meet color vision standards at the Class I / II level and that an AME may issue me any class of medical is I otherwise meet the medical requirements of said class. Quite simply really, show them the letter and that's all there is to it for the color vision section of the exam.

In truth, I went to a color vision specialist before I requested authorization to take the OCVT and MFT. I tried to pass the alternate tests and even the FALANT multiple times (still not sure why I was able to nail the FALANT before, but just miss the mark now). Regardless, I hope that I am an example that sometimes you need to put it on the line to find out if you simply have what it takes. You need to prepare yourself for either outcome, but it is so gratifying to face the charge, and beat the odds. As I mentioned before, respond here or PM me with any additional information requests and I'd be more than happy to help in anyway I can.

Sincerely,
Mongoose
 
Re: OCVT / MFT - My Experience

Good Evening,
At the request of doc, I'll state my experience while conducting the OCVT and MFT with the FAA at the Class I medical level. I previously described my experience with the OCVT, so I'll state how the MFT went (and feel free to let me know if you'd like more information). I have always maintained a Class I medical and currently have 2200 flight hours in my logbook.

First of all, I made the decision after a good month of 'soul searching' to take the OCVT and MFT. You have heard right, the consequences of not passing either the OCVT or MFT are severe, and must be considered carefully before you declare to the FAA that you would like authorization to begin these tests.

My MFT session was conducted at San Jose, CA. I rented a C-172 from Monterey and as you can imagine, my heart was in my throat during my short cross country trip north. I kept saying 'Man, I have to pass this because if I don't, they're gonna yank my medical!'. I land at San Jose and have two inspectors greet me plane-side. Thankfully, these two - outstanding - inspectors were the very same pair that conducted the OCVT with me. The outlined what I should expect during a brief ground briefing and we fired up the engine.

On the taxi to the runway, they were asking me questions about the colors on the cockpit gauges, the knobs, the needles, the difference in color of the asphalt, the color of the light filters atop poles and runway / taxiway signs. During the 0.7 hour MFT, they asked me alot of terrain questions (i.e. Tell me what you see on that hill over there). A pretty funny scenario was while I was on approach to land, they had me look out at the 9 o'clock low and identify some bright colors. I says 'Man, those are some wild orange and purple wildflowers' and they laugh and say 'Well, you got the colors right, but that's a skeet / trap range down there'.

We 'diverted' to an uncontrolled airfield, simulated a power off landing and had me read the VASI's. We paused briefly, then the lead inspector switched seats so his colleague could have a chance to ask me additional questions. In this case, it's rare to have an aviator 'put it all on the line' by going through the OCVT and MFT so they used my check-ride as a practical training session. the way back to San Jose was simlar questions (i.e. what kind of grass is over there, how about the color of the roof tops, what's that light flashing at us over to our 2 o'clock).

There was never an instance of them requesting light gun signals while airborne - this was covered by the OCVT (which will include light fun signals from 1k and 1.5k distance from the tower. You'll see the light for 3 seconds, followed by 2 minutes of 'cool down' to let your retina de-burn. 6 combinations of lights at each position and you can miss any of them. Get through that, she for the Class I / II Medical they'll also have you identify colors on a sectional chart).

As a result of me passing the OCVT / MFT, the FAA issued me a Letter Of Evidence, not a SODA, that I simply present to my FAA AME for my annual physical. It simply states that I have satisfactorily demonstrated my ability to meet color vision standards at the Class I / II level and that an AME may issue me any class of medical is I otherwise meet the medical requirements of said class. Quite simply really, show them the letter and that's all there is to it for the color vision section of the exam.

In truth, I went to a color vision specialist before I requested authorization to take the OCVT and MFT. I tried to pass the alternate tests and even the FALANT multiple times (still not sure why I was able to nail the FALANT before, but just miss the mark now). Regardless, I hope that I am an example that sometimes you need to put it on the line to find out if you simply have what it takes. You need to prepare yourself for either outcome, but it is so gratifying to face the charge, and beat the odds. As I mentioned before, respond here or PM me with any additional information requests and I'd be more than happy to help in anyway I can.

Sincerely,
Mongoose

Mongoose, if I read you correct, you had passed the color test with your AME prior. And at some point were no longer able to do so and did the OCVT/MFT? My flight test for my SODA was far different than this, back in '98.
 
Highspeed -
That's affirmative. I was able to nail both the Farnsworth D15 panel (no longer recognized by FAA) as well as the FALANT test prior to going for the OCVT / MFT. At the time I received authorization to take the OCVT / MFT, I was unable to completely pass any primary or secondary color vision tests that the FAA recognized.

Mongoose
 
So I talked to a therapeutic optemologist about 2 and a half weeks ago and he figured out my problem in about 3 minutes. I was taking 1000mg Vitamin C pills everyday to "stay healthy" (I know I'm an idiot) and he said if was definately the overdose of Vitamin C that was affecting my color vision. I stopped taking the pills immediately and I am already starting to be able to see the ishihara plates again! Just FYI to all of those people out there that magically can't see them anymore, might just be the case of too much Vitamin C.

Hope this info helps out somebody who was in my shoes.

Justin
 
The only way to get a LOE is take the OCVT and MFT (for Class 1 and 2).

Doc, I think you may have answered this previously somewhere, but with all of the changes that have occurred, wanted to clarify. If we already have an LOE for all classes of medical that was issued by Oklahoma prior to the rule change, is that LOE still valid? Still no requirement for those previously issued this LOE to take the OCVT and MFT test?

Thanks
 
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