FAA Medical/ Monocular Pilot and Lack of Depth Preception

Kane

Member
Hi, I am currently a 15-year-old boy from Sydney, Australia perusing his dream to become a commercial pilot. Around mid-July, my mother took me in to get my CASA medical done to start my RPL (Recreational Pilots Licence) training.

I found out that I had some slight problems with my vision. I apparently had minor problems with my depth perception. The optometrist said it wasn't a big issue but that proved to be wrong. Also, my medical test showed there wasn't enough information with my ECG testing. So I had to wait a month and a half to get tested by a cardiologist which I tested clear.

Not long later I thought casa would just clear my case and give me my medical but I got an email saying my case would be taken up to a panel. There were many obstacles along the way but then the final verdict came. I got an email by casa saying in order to get my medical I need to do some flight testing (Judgement of flare, centerline judgment etc). The test would determine if I am capable enough to get a medical. But also in the letter it said

"Please be advised, dependent on the outcome of the operational check, your medical certificate will be issued with the following special operational restrictions:
 Not valid for mustering or agricultural flying
 Not valid for rotary wing operations
 Holder does not fully meet requirements of ICAO Convention Chapter 6 of Annex"

Initially, I didn't think much of this. I didn't really care about the first two and the last one I had no clue about. Until I called up CASA and they told me the last one meant "I cannot fly out of Australian Airspace". This was totally soul drenching as my goal is to be an International Airline Pilot. I've also been to another CASA certified ophthalmologist which basically said my vision cannot be fixed and i should really look into another career path.

MEDICAL CONDITON

These are my conditon as described by CASA
"In simple terms this means that your left eye dominates your vision, and because of that your right eye tends to be lazy and tends to drift outwards when not focussing in tandem with the left eye; and when the left eye tends to be lazy with the right eye focussing, the left tends to drift away. This in turn denies the both eyes to provide appropriate binocular vision.


Binocular vision is essential in aviation for distance estimation and depth perception. The latter is paramount when coming in to land as well as during low level or close formation flying. Some of the conditions like relative lack of oxygen or fatigue may worsen this, which are known aviation stressors."

These are my conditions as described by my Opth

"Condition= AlternatingXT, Monocular, Lacking depth perception 200ms at arc of 15"

QUESTIONS

The other day I was thinking what if i applied for a medical in another country like the FAA or CAA. Would the medical be less strict or more linnet towards monocular pilots?

Have anyone gone through a similar situation as me?

Are there pilots flying airliners with minimal depth perception or even monocular pilots flying?

If I want to go to a flight school in America what would the process be? (From obtaining my medical to flying)

And if I do obtain an unrestricted CPL how hard is it to gain a working visa in America?

Thanks :)
 
Working visa will be the biggest hurdle, like super man type hurdle. I am usually dumb founded at the people that obtain first class medicals in the USA. I am in very good shape, for being 40. And I get the your neck is to big and you need to lose weight. Okay, when I'm done with my Murph on Saturday. But the solution is simple, you have an Australian accent, you can easy find a women in this country to marry you and get the green card.
 
I will say this in as nice a manner as possible, but Australian government agencies can take anal-pedantic to an extreme unknown in the rest of the world.

If flying is your dream do not let their word be the final answer. Find a good eye doctor in Australia, preferably not native Australian, and get a second and even third opinion. Eyes can be trained and tests can be passed with proper preparation.
 
The faa is actually pretty easy when it comes to monocular vision. The necessary paper work from your physician, review by the faa, a ride with the faa to show you’re able to perform (soda). Then a waiver will be issued. It is not even listed as a “limitation” on your medical. You can get any class medical needed, given approval from the faa.
Now I cannot help with requirements you will need to meet being a foreign pilot.
 
The faa is actually pretty easy when it comes to monocular vision. The necessary paper work from your physician, review by the faa, a ride with the faa to show you’re able to perform (soda). Then a waiver will be issued. It is not even listed as a “limitation” on your medical. You can get any class medical needed, given approval from the faa.
Now I cannot help with requirements you will need to meet being a foreign pilot.

Agreed, I did this (twice) for Class 3 SODA and Class 1 SODA.

I know Australians can be hired in the US with the appropriate E-3 Visa e.g Compass, but you would need to look into eligibility.
 
Working visa will be the biggest hurdle, like super man type hurdle. I am usually dumb founded at the people that obtain first class medicals in the USA. I am in very good shape, for being 40. And I get the your neck is to big and you need to lose weight. Okay, when I'm done with my Murph on Saturday. But the solution is simple, you have an Australian accent, you can easy find a women in this country to marry you and get the green card.

Actually on the contrary, it's extremely easy for Australians to get US work visas and same for Americans to get Australian work visas.
 
Here is some current guidance from the FAA:

https://www.faa.gov/about/office_or.../ame/guide/app_process/exam_tech/et/31-34/mv/

"An applicant will be considered monocular when there is only one eye or when the best corrected distant visual acuity in the poorer eye is no better than 20/200. An individual with one eye, or effective visual acuity equivalent to monocular, may be considered for medical certification, any class, through the special issuance section of part 67 (14 CFR 67.401)."
 
I've never dealt with vision issues, but I was on a special issuance for asthma until recently.

As others have pointed out, find what the social issuance/SODA (Statement of demonstrated ability) and then take care of it.

I was told over and over again growing up I couldn't be a pilot, and everyone who told me that was wrong.

Hell there's a guy at United with one hand. He does fine.
 
Agreed, I did this (twice) for Class 3 SODA and Class 1 SODA.

I know Australians can be hired in the US with the appropriate E-3 Visa e.g Compass, but you would need to look into eligibility.

I had a thought in the past month. What if I continue my training in Australia all the way to my CPL and maybe try to obtain a flying job in Australia (Instructing, Charter flights etc) to build up the hours and maybe get a licence conversion to an FAA licence. Will I be able to get an FAA medical and licence if I already have an Australian CPL and a medical? Will my medical be unrestricted? and Will US airlines consider me lets say something such as MESA, Piedmont, Amercian (Does Amercian hire international pilots?), Jet Blue Etc.
 
Good reason to go to college and pick up a backup degree. My Air Force Academy dreams were shattered Little Miss Sunshine Style when I failed the color vision testing. I did a signal light gun test to receive a permanent waiver for the FAA, but by the time that happened, my backup plan turned out to be quite lucrative, and I stuck with that.

Don't listen to those who tell you to blindly chase your dreams. Be smart about it - do what you can, but leave yourself an out - and don't get yourself financially tied to an anchor.
 
Good reason to go to college and pick up a backup degree. My Air Force Academy dreams were shattered Little Miss Sunshine Style when I failed the color vision testing. I did a signal light gun test to receive a permanent waiver for the FAA, but by the time that happened, my backup plan turned out to be quite lucrative, and I stuck with that.

Don't listen to those who tell you to blindly chase your dreams. Be smart about it - do what you can, but leave yourself an out - and don't get yourself financially tied to an anchor.

Thank you so much man. I've already got a backup plan that I'm already perusing, joining the navy as an Engineer doesn't sound too bad of an idea having my degreed sponsored and a guaranteed job seems so much safer than pursuing my flying career now. So this flying thing will probably and hopefully be down the line in the near future and again Thank you so much :)
 
I never needed a SODA for my 1st class medical.

I was born with strabismus and as a result, don't have depth perception/binocular vision.



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