I have a lot of people ask me for info about my OCVT/MFT experience, and I figured I would just compile it here.
I went through this quite a while ago, so I don't know if anything has changed from the FAA. If you already have the test scheduled at a FSDO, give them a call to go over what will happen. The FAA is there to help, right? haha
Table Two
You have to fail the color vision test to have the option of taking the OCVT/MFT. If your AME keeps passing you, its another 364 days you don't have to worry about failing a color vision test. My advice is to keep passing your 1st class medical until you don't haha. I passed my 1st class medical when I first started back in 1999, took a few more medicals over the years before getting on at a regional with the same AME with no issues, then went to a new one. He said “you’re not great at the color vision test, but you pass”, three more 1st classes, one new AME, same comment. “you’re not good, but you pass” Cool.
Then I went to a new guy, and failed. I knew it was coming eventually, so I already new what the OCVT/MFT required and I had “studied” as much as I could. It took some time and a lot of back and forth to get someone from the FSDO and someone to rent a plane from at the same airport in a short amount of time.
As far as medical history, I don't think anybody cares about the past, as long as you can pass and maintain a 1st class medical today. I have a friend who had a heart attack and was out on medical for half a year. He got his medical back, upgraded with me, and now flies for one of the big three. So if you failed it in the past but got it back, I don't think it will ever be an issue. Feel free to call your regional flight surgeon, call your local FSDO or search the FAA website for who is nearest to you. You could even call anonymous to ask if you're worried. During job interviews they are not allowed to ask about your medical history.
There are color vision plates online you can practice with. Study the colors of a sectional chart and in the cockpit with a friend, have them quiz you… thats the test the FAA gives you. “what color is that”, thats it. Have the tower give you a light gun signal demo at every airport you go to haha, sounds dumb but take the practice when you can get it.
I had to take the 1st class medical exam and FAIL the color vision portion before they would refer me to someone to take the OCVT-MFT. That test took roughly 1 hour total with about 30 minutes of flying in a Cessna. Paid for plane rental, but test with FAA was free.
I went in for a normal 1st class medical not knowing I was color deficient. He failed my color vision (Ishihara plate) test portion. I retained a 1st class medical, but under limitations it said "Not valid for night flight or light gun signals". Half the flying I do as an airline pilot is at night. I think I had to call the local FAA medical office, pick a FSDO to take the test at and schedule it. Since I fly jets I had to get checked out in a Cessna (1 hour) but the flight portion of the MFT was only one lap around in the pattern.
If I remember correct, yes the OCVT/MFT was free since it was through the FSDO. I had to rent a Cessna on my own for the MFT
The one thing to remember is...
YOU ONLY GET ONE CHANCE AT THIS TEST. If you fail the LIGHT GUN SIGNALS portion of it, you have a
permanent limitation of NO NIGHT FLYING. Make sure to talk to your local FAA or FSDO before taking the test.
I never in 12 years had an issue flying with a color vision deficiency. I now have a permanent letter in my FAA file that allows me to fly with color vision deficiency, and I can never be failed on my annual 1st class medicals on the Ishihara plates or any other color vision test.
Follow the links in this thread for a good writeup by Mongoose something of the OCVT and MFT
http://forums.jetcareers.com/thread...color-vision-test-medical-flight-test.166342/
We looked at a sectional and he pointed at any text or color on the map. Color of land, what color is that lake shaped object (spoiler: its blue!), what color is that text. If you're worried, look at a sectional with a friend to quiz you on any color on the map.
In the plane he pointed at anything on the instrument panel or outside the aircraft. "what color is that?" again, go with a friend and have him quiz you.
In the air, what color are those trees, what color are those water tanks, what colors do you see on the PAPI. I did it in the middle of winter in New England so all my answers were "white!"
I think the only test you cannot fail is the tower light gun test. Go to a towered airport and ask for a light gun display. you need to nail 6 at 1000' and 6 at 1500' or somehting like that. all of the requirements are on the FAA website, I can dig it up if you cant find it.
He made sure to tell me that it was not a test of my flying skill, and that you can do it with an instructor with the FAA in the back seat, I think. Call your local FSDO and ask questions. The FAA is here to help you be a pilot, they are not out to get you.
let me know if you have any specific questions, it was stressful for me too since I fly for a regional, but had to do the test in a C172 that I havent flown in 5 years. It ended up being easy and kinda fun. but one hell of a weight off my shoulders when i was done. now i have a permanent waiver and never have to worry about it again for the rest of my career/life!
"So are you saying that the light gun signals are the only test I have to get 100% right? I am just so confused about what to expect on the MFT haha, I claim that I am not color deficient, I just don't know the names of all the colors out there haha. I do not know or care if it is "Jungle green" or "creamy eggshell white" (slight exaggeration), I am just wondering how much to expect from the examiner, will he be fair? I know that will vary by the person, but I just want to prepare all I can! "
http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org...m/ame/guide/app_process/exam_tech/item52/amd/
reference the bottom of page starting at NOTE:
You can find light gun videos on youtube, but yes 100% correct on that. If you can see colors on the map and a/c instruments you shouldn't have a problem. Hell, if you can see stoplights red and green you should be fine.
Just say dark, standard or light green, don't need to go to Home Depot to study color names. They are not doctors, but they know when red is red and when green is not white.
When you schedule this with the FSDO, just ask the examiner what to expect. It took me about a month to schedule it out.
He was super cool and was happy to get out of the office. As long as you dont do anything unsafe you will be fine on the flight portion. I couldnt land a 172 for after flying a jet, but he didn't care.
I remember going to an eye doctor after I failed the medical, and he said my deficiency was mild hence the "just passing" results all those years. I guess I just lucked out on the Ishiara plates up until then. I never had an AME who had a Farnsworth Lantern so I have no experience with that. I can tell you that many AME's are old and getting close to retirement, so you cannot count on going to one AME the rest of your career that will always pass you. I knew that I would fail one day, so I studied up on the OCVT/MFT just like you are.
Sadly, it is a pass/fail test with permanent consequences. Practice at a towered airport with the light gun signals. If they aren't busy they would be happy to flash the lights at you. Do it with your instructor so he can "grade" you. Take look at different sectionals from around the country to see different color representations (mountains, ocean, flatland) A California sectional cover almost everything you could find on a sectional. Have your CFI quiz you on colors just as much as how to do turns around a point when you go flying.