Color Blindness Testing
 

Hi All,
I have wanted to be a pilot for years and years as everyone else has on this site. I am a senior in high school and have had quite the issue wtih color blindness testing. I carry a first class medical cert. with a night flying restriction due to color blindness. I have failed Farnsworth and the plates, as well as another test when I had to put the colors in order. I was told by my AME physician that I should use the "SODA" as a last resort because it will keep me from ever flying if I initially fail that. Unfortunately, my AME died a week after my test so I lost him as a resource. All the tests I have taken have not been made official thanks to having a close relationship with my optometrist. Is there still a chance I could pass the SODA test with the laser gun with an FAA examiner? What should I do to go about doing this test? Who Do I contact? Thanks so much in advance!

This doesn't sound like a very good career choice. Have you thought about ways you could still be in aviation and not primarily flying? If you are that dependent on an AME that "lets you pass", I doubt it's going to work out for you at an airline and their med department.

Is it that you want to be a pilot, or you want to fly as your job?

Call up you local FSDO and schedule the light gun test. If you can tell the colors of a traffic light you should be able to pass. Also while instructing I have had people ask if we could get the tower to flash the lights are way. That's also an option for you.

My ultimate dream has always been to fly for Delta. I was told by a Pinnacle pilot I know that if I get this test complete I will be exempt from any more testing in the future and since the precious tests are unofficial I don't know If that would effect the airline health dept?

I'm a color blind with a first class SODA. Its not a problem for me. I have mild red green deficiency. I can't see green to save my life. But like mentioned above, if you can see a traffic light, you will probably do fine. You already have a medical, so that's the first step done. Schedule the SODA test with your FSDO. Then do what I did. Go out to your local tower controlled airport and visit the tower. Tell them you are doing the test and basically, you want to practice. Get a two-way and ask a controller to shine two lights right next to each other for you. That was very helpful for me, it let me compare the appearance of the colors to each other. My difficulty was with the green light, it simply looks white by itself to me. But next to the white light, it has a blue tint that separated it. I took the test the next day and did fine. SODA's are good forever. Once and your done.

I'm pretty sure that SODAs are a dead animal (at least SODAs given using the Light Gun signal test from the tower).
There is the new test given by the FSDOs which will include a ground and air evaluation.
If passed - this test will suffice for your medicals through an AME and do not expire; but I am unsure whether a particular company can have stricter rules.

If you will search the forums using the 'Search' function, you will find some very detailed threads on color blindness and the evalution I mentioned above given by the FSDOs.

USMCFLYR

I am confused to what you mean by just go to your local tower. I am not in flying lessons nor possess a plane. Are you saying I could go to my local tower (TOL) and just ask them as a civilian to do this?

Do you know details on what this test includes?

Actually, yes, that is exactly what I'm saying. FAA control towers are public facilities, you don't have to be a pilot to visit one. Since 9/11 they usually require some kind of appointment in advance, but that's easy. Just give them a call. Their phone numbers are usually always listed in lots of places, like AFD, plates, the airport web site, etc...

As for the SODA being different since I did it, that is possible. I did mine 20 years ago.

Yes -and the search function is your friend.
You will find that ALL of your questions are answered in previous threads.

USMCFLYR