serious color vision question.

[Northern Lights]

I've had a SODA for years, and never had a problem. As was mentioned, your piloting skills will compensate for the lack of definition on a PAPI/VASI. If you are concerned, go up with an instructor and practice visual approaches to runways without any vertical guidance.

When I got to the 121 world I relied more on planning than the lights. Figure out what altitude and rate of descent you would like to be at during various parts of an approach.

 

[Murdoughnut]

I have a SODA for color vision and the only problem I seem to have is with the airport beacon. I have a difficult time telling the green from the white. I can tell they are two different colors because the white is brighter than the green, but if someone flashed me just one I would have to guess - which is what I did on my light gun test. Got lucky.

 

[Northern Lights]

When it comes to airport beacons, I am really only concerned with a quick double flash, because then I know it's a military airfield.

I had the sectional problem too. I don't really care if it's magenta or blue, I just look at the other information to find out what I need.

The point is, you learn to compensate for your deficiency

 

[ASA_Aviator]

I have the color vision waiver (SODAs haven't been issued since 2000 for color vision). I too have the occasional problem with a PAPI or VASI, but only in the daytime, and in daylight there are plenty of other cues to tell if you are on glideslope. At night it is fairly easy to tell (for me at least) when they are all red...

One thing I have noticed is on the CRJ the magenta and light blue lines on some of the older CRTs look very similar, but that isn't really a problem. Just be aware that there are some things you'll have to compensate for. Don't talk about it too much until you are off probation, or are upgraded since some people probably would give you a hard time.

By the way, the Farnsworth lantern test is no longer accepted as a substitute for the Ishihara plates that most doctors use (the little book of round spots). I think that was changed last year.

There are other acceptable substitutes, and you should attempt them before you do the light gun test. I was unable to pass the Farnsworth lantern, so I did have to do the light gun test, and passed with no problem.

Good luck

 

[wxman]

I've had the same problem with the PAPI / VASI. However, I found that I can always see it fine when I get close in on the approach... it is just at a distance that it is tough.

As many of the other replies said... you learn to compensate just fine. The CRJ FMS even has the ability to provide a GS to a visual approach (for any runway that doesn't have an ILS). Otherwise, VDP and calculations work well.

I also would agree that I wouldn't say anything to the Captain, just because there may always be some jerk who wants to make a point or cause you a headache. The Captain, if he is any good at all, will keep an eye on your approach anyway, and let you know if something looks too far off.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Fred Rogers]

What if it gets worse? It'd be a bitch to get 15-20 years down the line and be grounded, wouldn't it?

Colorblindness is not something that changes. You are born with it and it stays the same for the duration of your life. Your vision can change but your ability to see color does not. This is why they will issue a waiver for it - FOR LIFE - and you don't have to worry about it ever again.

 

[GravityHater]

and you don't have to worry about it ever again.

The only likely time this (color vision deficiency) might bite you is:

a) you go nordo, you misinterpret a light gun signal and then you tell the FAA that you couldn't see it
b) you have a wreck, and blame your inability to see the visual guidance system.

:both very rare indeed. If there was ever a problem ie in a), I would say I completely missed looking at the tower for a light (even if you did see one), you were 'too busy looking for traffic'.

 

[stearnst]

Count me as another one with a SODA. I have problems discerning the PAPI's/VASI's, although it really only seems to be hard to tell the difference during the daytime, the colors at night are much easier for me to tell apart.

Just for kicks, every time I go in for my medical (a month ago, most recently) I have them do the "color dot" test, just to see how I end up. I think I got like 7 of 21 or something like that, definitely not enough to pass. One time though, at the AME, they had a book that had shapes instead of numbers, I think there was a triangle, square, circle, a wavy line, and two wavy lines. For some reason, I think I got all but two of them...so for what it's worth, that one ended up going much better than any of the tests with the numbers.

 

[Medicryan]

Thanks for all the responses, guys. I know that it is not something that I should be too worried about. I just wanted to get everyone's take on it. I'm sure after a lot more flying, I can fly a perfect 3 degree glideslope without any lights just because I know what the picture should look like.

 

[Fred Rogers]

Thanks for all the responses, guys. I know that it is not something that I should be too worried about. I just wanted to get everyone's take on it. I'm sure after a lot more flying, I can fly a perfect 3 degree glideslope without any lights just because I know what the picture should look like.

that's what I'm talking about with compensating. I'm sure you'll be fine. You could mess up a light gun signal but your engine could also explode. I wouldn't loose any sleep over it. Cheers