Monocular vision

[David Dickey]

Greeting. I am a student pilot with one eye (lost vision 20 years ago do to an injury) I have around 35 hrs of flight Time and I am beginning to think about my check ride. I have submitted a written request to regional office for a medical check ride and am currently awaiting there reply. My question is... At what point do I take this check ride and what will it entail.

Thanks
David

 

[Itchy]

I knew a US Air captain with one eye. He is the one who got me into this mess 35 years ago by taking me for a ride in a cessna.

 

[My Flight Surgeon]

You take the ride with the FAA inspector when you get your private license. It is all in one check ride.

 

[Patrick]

I had no idea you could get a waiver for this!! That's really encouraging for a lot of people!!!

 

[mooneyguy]

Patrick, you should know a little about this...how we forget things. ;-)
David, no worries. It's not an issue or a big deal to get a waiver for this. As was mentioned there ARE people flying 121 with monocular vision.

 

[thevideographer]

How much harder does monocular vision actually make it harder to fly? Would someone with monocular vision have trouble passing the checkride? Just curious.

 

[My Flight Surgeon]

Not hard at all. The issue is depth perception. After one is monocular for 6 months, they learn to adapt and can usually have good depth perception.

 

[ahsmatt7]

I was born without depth perception. My initial medical app for a first class was deferred because I could not past the stereoscopic vision test. That being said, it took 6 months and calling the FAA every week to find in the mail my first class medical with no limitations or waivers. I have had zero problems renewing my first class medical. Just gotta write down "previously reported, no change." A lack of depth perception is not a big deal. Search around google about depth perception and aviation and you will find it very interesting. Mainly, you will be just find be wise we use monocular clues a lot more than binocular clues when flying.

 

[CLTflyer]

I have a student who has had his private ticket since the 90's. lost vision in his left eye about 4 years ago and I'm prepping him for his SODA flight. The only problem he is having is judging when to flare...but we're in a Mooney, so you don't really flare that much anyways.

 

[pryd67]

CLTflyer, what does a mono vision SODA flight examination entail? Is it the same type of ride if you have an ATP or PPL?
Last time I did my 1st class medical I could only see part of the 20/20 line (corrected, I have amblyopia). My papers state that the FSDO will do a medical flight test in conjunction with my pilot check ride. Does that mean new ATP check ride?

 

[CLTflyer]

Not sure what it would entail for an ATP, but I know for my guy, he had the letter from the FSDO cc'd to me so I could check it out and plan on what we needed to work on. Without the letter sitting in front of me, I know it's not a whole checkride over again. It's basically a list of items that must be completed with a DPE and shown satisfactory and then the FAA will issue you your pilots certificate back. From what I can remember here are some of the items that you will have to demonstrate to the examiner:

Basic control and operation of the aircraft from taxi out to taxi in
Being able to find a suitable place of landing in the event of engine failure
Being able to spot other aircraft in the air (at night seeing the nav's to determine direction of flight)
Being able to look down at charts for pilotage, frequencys, you name it while in flight

That's all I can remember right off the top of my head..the only problem my student seems to be having is like I mentioned before is the flare. But other than that, he said he can't really tell the difference.

So to answer your question, I would immagine it would be the same regardless. Not 100% sure, but I'm pretty sure.

 

[pryd67]

Thanks for the quick answer.
I will start with your list and see if FAA adds anything. The test sounds pretty straightforward.

 

[CLTflyer]

No prob, hope it helps

 

[ahsmatt7]

Try to get the medical without the SODA first. You don't have to have a soda for a la k of depth perception. Don't do more work than you have too.

 

[mooneyguy]

The soda ride for monocular visions not at all like a check ride. It's just a flight with an examiner. He has to make sure you can see the obvious things you need to see and you can demonstrate you can operate. An air craft. Don't worry about it. If they do the soda ride with an actual Check ride there would be nothing extra (over the check ride you are performing) they would have to test you on.

 

[pryd67]

Thanks mooneyguy

What got my attention was the wording “The medical flight test must be successfully accomplished in conjunction with your pilot check ride.” This is from the letter FAA sent me regarding my unrestricted 1-class medical. I want to try to get in with Eagle (as soon as possible) but because of this, I cannot send in my application.

 

[ahsmatt7]

I must be the exception but I never had to do a SODA ride for monocular vision. I talked to the FAA directly and they said the same thing. I would highly recommend doing whatever you can to get a clean medical without the help of any waivers and/or SODAs. PM if you want to know my situation and what I did. It's way too long to put in a post.

 

[SkyQueen256]

I would like to know more.