Single eye.. how far I can go in medical cert?

S

SeattlePilot

Well-Known Member
I have this kid that I have been mentoring for few years now.. He's got a glass eye on right and 20/40 vision on the left.. He lives, breaths, loves aviation and he is claiming that he is going to work for Alaska one day :)
I don't want to crush his dreams but how far he can go in terms of FAA medical?
I have been trying to get him to go on the A&P route so that he can still be close to airplanes and maybe get him to get his LSA..

Thanks..
 
My guess is that he won't be able to obtain any class medical certificate since the FAA standards say you need at least 20/20 vision in 'each eye seperately' for a class 1 or 2 cert. 20/40 in each for a class 3. :( Wait for the doc to give you the final say so.
 
I had heard somewhere that there was a first officer at American Airlines who only had one eye, or vision in only one eye (hired with normal vision and then something happened). Later on I asked a friend of mine who has flown there for several decades and he said he had heard the same thing once but wasn't sure (a B-757 FO somewhere in the system). This guy was purportedly just restricted to second in command and had to go back for a medical every six months instead of the longer period it would normally be. Of course, all this was after he did the S.O.D.A. process and demonstrated that he could do everything he needed to do in the cockpit and flying the airplane, that he needed to do.

I never confirmed this whole thing for sure, but it's not from just one source either. So perhaps with some more digging around you can get to the bottom of it. Hopefully, it's true, and you can go quite far with vision in only one eye.
 
A good friend of mine only has one eye and has no problem getting his medical. Once he had his SODA ride with the FAA that was that.

I'd wait for the Doc to give you the final answer but I'll bet he can qualify for a 2nd class at least.
 
He can get a Class 3. During flight training, he will need to do a medical flight test to get a SODA for monovision. Have him enjoy his flying.
 
My Flight Surgeon said:
He can get a Class 3. During flight training, he will need to do a medical flight test to get a SODA for monovision. Have him enjoy his flying.
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No second class? I think I read that Bob Odegard (the R-4360 powered Corsair belongs to him) was a crop duster and only had one eye.
 
I used to know a guy who held a 3rd Class medical with a glass eye, so it's possible. 3rd class is all you need to take any checkride or instruct, so it's possible to become a CFI.
 
So Doc, if someone only has one eye, or in my case, a super weak eye. But is 20/20 in the other eye, they might still be eligable for a class 2 or 1?
 
FWIW, Wiley Post flew a record around the world flight in a Lockheed Vega in 1930 with one eye. He wrote an interesting and inspirational book about the feat and his life as a pilot: "Around the World in Eight Days, The Flight of the Winnie Mae" by Wiley Post and Harold Gatty.
 
Isn't that pretty much what I asked, ppragman? Not trying to be a SA or anything. Just want to make sure im clear on the answer.

I have 20/20 uncorrected in one eye, and REALLY bad sight in the other, I can see fine and drive a vehicle with no restrictions, however I used to have a corrective lens restriction as a minor.

So Im just curious if I could get a class 1....... sounds like I can, with a SODA.
 
LineNPilotGuy said:
Isn't that pretty much what I asked, ppragman? Not trying to be a SA or anything. Just want to make sure im clear on the answer.

I have 20/20 uncorrected in one eye, and REALLY bad sight in the other, I can see fine and drive a vehicle with no restrictions, however I used to have a corrective lens restriction as a minor.

So Im just curious if I could get a class 1....... sounds like I can, with a SODA.
Click to expand...
I mean the guy with one eye.
 
LineNPilotGuy said:
Isn't that pretty much what I asked, ppragman? Not trying to be a SA or anything. Just want to make sure im clear on the answer.

I have 20/20 uncorrected in one eye, and REALLY bad sight in the other, I can see fine and drive a vehicle with no restrictions, however I used to have a corrective lens restriction as a minor.

So Im just curious if I could get a class 1....... sounds like I can, with a SODA.
Click to expand...


As the Doc said, yes you can get a 1st class with a SODA. My right eye is corrected to 20/20 but my left is corrected to 20/25 and I have a 1st class medical. Been flying professionally for 3 years....no problems.

Good Luck!
 
LineNPilotGuy said:
Isn't that pretty much what I asked, ppragman? Not trying to be a SA or anything. Just want to make sure im clear on the answer.

I have 20/20 uncorrected in one eye, and REALLY bad sight in the other, I can see fine and drive a vehicle with no restrictions, however I used to have a corrective lens restriction as a minor.

So Im just curious if I could get a class 1....... sounds like I can, with a SODA.
Click to expand...

Yes one eye 20/20 (or corrected to) you have nearly 100% probability of getting a 1st class. Monocular vision is a common thing. There are over 3-4000 people with a medicals and monocular vision.
 
LineUpAndWait said:
FWIW, Wiley Post flew a record around the world flight in a Lockheed Vega in 1930 with one eye. He wrote an interesting and inspirational book about the feat and his life as a pilot: "Around the World in Eight Days, The Flight of the Winnie Mae" by Wiley Post and Harold Gatty.
Click to expand...

He also spun an aircraft into the ground with one eye, killing himself and Will Rogers. Just saying :)
 
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