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Old 04-12-2019, 06:34 AM
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Excargodog
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Lots of monocular flyers out there. After six months or so you will have learned alternate means of compensating for the loss of stereoptic depth perception. The FAA will not be a huge problem. But getting on at some of the majors will be. United Airlines fought and won a case that went to the Supreme Court about requiring uncorrected visual acuity of no worse than 20/100 in BOTH eyes.

https://biotech.law.lsu.edu/cphl/art...da-sutton.html

Since then the law has been changed and with it UALs policy, but there are still majors that require corrected visual acuity of 20/20 BILATERALLY. From the American Airlines website, by way of example:

Here is what it takes to be a successful pilot at American:

· Excellent communication skills and quick and accurate decision making

· Close attention to detail

· Minimum age of 23

· Ability to work varying hours of the day or night, on weekends and holidays

· Must be able to secure appropriate airport authority and/or Customs security badges

· Fulfillment of FAA criminal background checks

· Ability to learn and work with PEDs

· Distance vision corrected to 20/20 and near vision corrected to 20/40 or better in each eye

· Current Unrestricted Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) rating (multi-engine)

· Valid FCC Restricted Radio Telephone Operator permit
Not saying you might not be able to get in at SOME major, or even at American if you took them to court, but it will be more difficult to do at some of them (certainly American) if your situation becomes known to them and as has already been shown at United, these guys have the means and motivation to take this all the way to SCOTUS.

Which doesn’t mean you can’t be a pilot or that there wouldn’t be lots of commercial flying opportunities open to you. Just wanted to give you a small dose of realism.

At the upper levels a bias still exists for the steely eyed fighter pilot with 20/15 uncorrected vision in both eyes. You’ll be fighting that bias more than most, if the employer becomes aware of your medical issue.
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