Ok here is the deal...EVERYONE LOSES COLOR VISION AT HIGHER ALTITUDES DUE TO HYPOXIA...HYPOXIA IS FELT IN MOST PEOPLE AROUND 5,000 FT. A lot of airports are over 5,000ft.
So the idea of using colors is stupid anyways...I am a 135 pilot and there are 4 times when color supposedly plays a huge roll.
1. Beacons- First off they are not critical to navigation. The FAA does not even regulate them and they often get faded out in the sun...so the so called "green" varys from airport to airport. Cross referencing with VORs and GPS along with good old pilotage solves a lot. You can't even see the dual peaked white in military beacons until you get right over the beacon. But if you were using that to make a determination you would have probably busted airspace a long time ago if you weren't flight following. Besides, just because you can see a beacon does not mean you can see your runway and that is why controllers often vector planes to final. Proposed Solution-If you are color deficient you must carry a back up hand held radio and GPS and preflight it before you take off.
2. Airplane Navigation Lights-I have ALWAYS been able to tell which way an airplane is moving just by seeing the main airplane beacon. I have never been so close that I needed to use the colored lights. Proposed Solution-Instead of using colored lights use SHAPES. IE Three XXX's mean left wing and three circles 000 mean right wing along with color coding.
3. Light Gun Signals-This could be solved in a number of ways. Proposed Solution-Every color deficient pilot must carry a back up hand held radio that is preflighted before every flight. You could also replace the light gun with a panel about 3ft by 3ft and instead of using colors project a huge number or shape. IE 1=cleared to land 2=continue circling etc...
4. VASIs/PAPIs-If safety truely is the concern then since people become hypoxic at higher altitudes/elevations (Think Colorado/Montainous areas) color vision should not be relied upon. Proposed Solution-use projectors that shoot different Letters/Shapes/Numbers...IE XX=Low 00=high and say X0=on glideslope.
Yes...this will cost money...but since EVERYONE gets hypoxic at higher altitudes and it directly relates to safety, money should not be an issue. The FAA should move in this direction. By using color vision the FAA puts more risk on passengers lives. Again I strongly urge everyone to remember that everyone gets hypoxic and therefore loses color vision. How often do people land in Colorado where the elevation is over 5,000 ft.
I rest my case. There is no system that involves color vision that is superior to my SOLUTION. My solutions work for people that are truely color BLIND.
Thanks to all those who read this.