Planning on taking the OCVT-VERY NERVOUS!

L

lifesbeachy

Well-Known Member
Hello everyone, well I am planning on taking the OCVT possibly next month. I cannot explain how nervous I am. I'm told that I have a medium green deficiency, but I'm not sure what that means as far as my chances of passing.

I have practiced with the chart as well as had the light guns shinned at me, sometimes I do great and others it is like I psych myself out. I am very very nervous about the person administering the test as well, It just sucks that they have such a limited knowledge of this issue.

My big fear is that if I fail it, I have no clue what to do at that point. I have grown up wanting to fly, and to have it pulled away from me like that would really leave me lost. I am more or less just ranting and venting right now, but I am hoping that some of you who may have already taken it could give me any details possible and any advice you can think of.

Has anyone on here taken it and failed it? Did anyone on here second guess themselves but correct their mistake during the test? What was your experience? How nervous were you? What was your backup plan if you had failed it or if you did fail it?

Sorry for the long post, I just want as much information as I can get on this.

Thanks!!
 
I took mine a couple of months ago. First, you will be presented with a VFR sectional. Items will be pointed to at random, and you will have to know the color. Remember that dashed magenta class echo airspace is sometimes attached to blue dashed class delta airspace (KFPR). Know EVERY color on the chart. (magenta, blue, green, yellow,white)

The light gun portion is broken up into two parts. First, 10 random colors at 1000 yards, then 10 from 1,500 yards. I highly recommend you call the FSDO as ask which tower they recommend. Some have newer, clearer guns.

My biggest piece of advice: Most people have trouble deciphering the difference between the white and green lights. The white light is much more intense. It's kind of like someone is flashing their highbeams at you. The green light is just sort of dull. Get to the airport 30 minutes before the test, call the tower cab and ask them to shoot you a green and white light so you can see the difference at THAT tower. If you are going for a 1st class medical you will also have to complete a MFT (Medical Flight Test). For me that consisted of three laps in the pattern of a towered airport with landings.

Good luck!
 
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intern_mike said:
I took mine a couple of months ago. First, you will be presented with a VFR sectional. Items will be pointed to at random, and you will have to know the color. Remember that dashed magenta class echo airspace is sometimes attached to blue dashed class delta airspace (KFPR). Know EVERY color on the chart. (magenta, blue, green, yellow,white)

The light gun portion is broken up into two parts. First, 10 random colors at 1000 yards, then 10 from 1,500 yards. I highly recommend you call the FSDO as ask which tower they recommend. Some have newer, clearer guns.

My biggest piece of advice: Most people have trouble deciphering the difference between the white and green lights. The white light is much more intense. It's kind of like someone is flashing their highbeams at you. The green light is just sort of dull. Get to the airport 30 minutes before the test, call the tower cab and ask them to shoot you a green and white light so you can see the difference at THAT tower. If you are going for a 1st class medical you will also have to complete a MFT (Medical Flight Test). For me that consisted of three laps in the pattern of a towered airport with landings.

Good luck!
Click to expand...
You pretty much nailed it.

However, don't take your own sectional you've memorized as the ASI will most likely supply his own.
I personally fail to understand why ASI's have to do a this medical issue but rules is rules I guess.
Hope your ASI doesn't screw up like I did on one, "what color is that red truck"
Oops!
 
Thanks for the replies so far! Is there a resource available that will tell me what each color on the sectional is and what it corresponds with? The only thing on the chart that is basically impossible for me to distinguish is the magenta vs. the blue shaded area for class E. My understanding is that basically the only place I would see this on a chart would be in very mountainous terrain, I live in Florida right now so I am not sure that it will be an issue though. I still know which one is which because of the color of the writing next to it.

Also on the legend is a communication box that is blue, but the numbers "362" are magenta, can anyone explain the reason for this?

One other thing, the last 1000' of a runway are supposed to be marked by red lights, is this correct? The reason I ask is because at my local airport they use LED lighting and even my color normal pilot friends say that the lights look more orange than red, which I agree with, I am just wondering how you would handle a situation like that on the test? Just say the color it is supposed to be, or say what you actually see followed by the correct color of the object? Sorry, I am probably wayyyy over-analyzing this, I am just extremely nervous.
 
I didn't realise you had to take an MFT for Class 1 only, I took one for Class 3 as well, but I was monocular vision. They wanted to see I could fly correctly (some do 3 touch and goes, some take you to the practice area and estimate distances, some make you do single engine approaches, I guess it is up to the inspector), but if you show up prepared and ready to go, it will stand you in good stead.

Best advise, yes the FAA might make you nervous, but do your best and you'll be fine. they want to know you are a safe pilot and can adapt to the condition as best possible. Not being familiar with the VFR sectional would fail you on a checkride from PPL to CFI, so do your homework and all will be fine.

The first MFT took 18 months to arrange and complete, the 2nd was done in 4, so this is good practice in learning how the FAA works.

Good luck!

Alex.
 
Make sure you are 100% on the light gun signals. If you miss one, it's a failure. BTW, I don't know if you are planning on flying professionally, but if not, just because you bust this test does not mean you can't fly. You would still be able to fly during the day.
 
Thanks for these replies. I have not been doing any flight training in quite a while, mostly because of my color vision issue. That is why I cannot remember everything on the chart, and what colors correspond with what. I do not plan on doing my check ride during this test. I want to get this over with before I spend anymore money on flying right now.

One thing that is really frustrating is how hard it is to even get this scheduled with the FAA. I have one guy that can do it next month, he seems like a really nice guy, or I have another guy that said it may be January or February before he could give the test but he knows a lot about color vision and is very empathetic towards the situation because his son is an ophthalmologist. So it is either agonize over this until next year, or go for broke next month and just get it over with.

I think my biggest worry is that I have no clue what to do if I fail the test. Aviation is all I have ever known, so if I fail I don't know what I want to do. I really don't want to work in a "support" role anymore though, sitting around and watching other people go do what you want to do all day is no fun for me. So, if I fail I really think I want out of aviation, except for the possible hobby flying, but I have no clue whatsoever what I would want to do next.

I've been able to see the tower lights the last couple times I've gone and had them shine the lights at me, the only thing I've done in the past is really psych myself out and as a result I second guess myself. I guess I just need to find a way to relax a little better before hand.

If I take the test in November I will be taking it in Columbia, SC, does anyone here know what type of lighting they have? How hard would it be for me to get there a day early and have the tower shine the lights at me before hand?

Sorry for the long, somewhat unorganized posts, I just have a lot of questions and fear over this haha.

Thanks!
 
Sorry for the diversion on the thread, get your CFI to help you on the charts and the FSDO liaison if needed.

I have flown from the UK to the US and landed at Houston to a voicemail from an Inspector saying sorry I'm out of currency. I still managed to take the required test a day later though, they are there to help you, visit in person ahead of time if needed.

Be sure to go with a good guy, so keep in touch with your empathetic contact, he may suddenly have a gap open up in his schedule.

Alex.
 
@ahw01 Yeah I would really prefer the empathetic guy, but he said he isn't current and doesn't know when he will be. It really sucks honestly, but I think there are only a few current inspectors in the southeast right now.
 
Lifesbeachy,
I'd like to second the previous responses to your post. Come as prepared as possible and don't let yourself get wound up during the OCVT (and MFT if you're going for a Class I medical). The good and the bad news is that this color vision deficiency is out of your control. I think we can all sympathize to a certain degree about how passionate you are re: aviation and your sincere hope everything pans out well.

Certainly recommend having normal color visions friends join you on flights / practice light gun signals to ensure you're good to go. Keep us posted whenever you end of getting it done - here's to the very best.

Mongoose
 
@Mongoose121
Thanks for your reply. I've been practicing as much as I can for sure. Still just very nervous about it. The biggest thing that I wish now is that it were easier to get this thing scheduled. At this point I just want to get it over with and get rid of the anxiety I have created by thinking about it constantly. I am also hoping that right before I go for the light signal test I can have the tower shine them at me beforehand so that I can get familiar with them one more time. Thanks again for your reply and kind words!
 
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