do you have to take the color plates test everytime?

[xavier0002]

I recently got my first class medical and I passed the color blindness test but had a little bit of a hard time with it. Now my questions are:

Do you have to take it every time?
If you fail after passing it once...what happens?
What should I do then?

 

[kellwolf]

I had to take it both times I got my 1st class, but that was with two different AMEs. If you fail the test, you get a restriction on your medical that keeps you from flying at night. There's a long and drawn out process to get this removed, and you have to take an acceptable substitute test (i.e. light gun test) to get a Statement of Demonstrated Ability. Once you get that piece of paper, you just show it when you go on for your medicals and you skip the color plate test. At least that's how it's SUPPOSED to work.

 

[cessna2351]

I was thinking about this today.....

Say I were to call up my local FSDO and asked to be administered the light gun test incase I were to fail the Ishihara plates in the future (I was told that a waiver would carry over for my ATC medical). Would that be something I can do or do I have to fail the test before I can ask for the SODA test? Methinks this might be a good thing to ask the FSDO about.

 

[kellwolf]

No no, you can take the light gun test before you take your medical. In fact, that saves a LOT of paperwork if done that way.

 

[xavier0002]

wait, let me get this right?....if I go to a local doctor and I pass the color vision test.... can I then, show that to the AME and not have to take the Ishihara test anymore?

What forms do I use for that?

What format should the doctor use when writing that I
Passed the test?

Do I have to inform the FAA of that in order to make it work?

Does it make sense to do that before I have failed the test...or should I wait until I fail (which might or might not happen)?

 

[kellwolf]

There's a form the doctor has to fill out and send to the FAA. You get a copy, he keeps a copy and the FAA gets a copy. In about 80 years (or at least it seems that way) you'll get a piece of paper in the mail from the FAA that says you have demonstrated the color vision requirements and that piece of paper can be used in lieu of the Ishihara plates or whatever the AME uses. That's my understanding. I've never had to go through the mountain of paperwork. If you're an AOPA member, they have the steps written out on their website.

 

[derg]

They're supposed to give you the color vision test each time. However, the good news is that you really don't 'acquire' colorblindness, so the subsequent tests are kind of pointless, at least according to my AME.