Approximately 1 in 12 men and 1 in 200 women have problems with color perception. Historically, even those with slight color vision deficiency were denied the opportunity to fly.
With improvements in color vision testing, times have changed. It is possible to obtain a pilot license while being color blind and even become an airline pilot, depending on the extent of color vision impairment. Test your eyes for color blindness here.
To understand the procedure of becoming a color blind pilot , we must discuss the importance of color vision and why color blindness is not a one-size-fits-all condition.
Why is Color Vision Important?
We have so far verified that color blindness comes in multiple forms, with differing degrees of severity. Most people with color vision deficits do not need to make any notable changes to their lifestyle, and their color blindness does not impact their everyday lifestyle.
Why, then, is color vision thought important in aviation?
Color Vision in Aviation
Aviation is fully about color-coded symbology, lights, and documentation.
Color is used to decrypt signals, accept visual cues at airports, and collect information from flight displays, among other things.
Color vision evolves especially essential at night when different colored lights often replace their white-labeled counterparts.
A few of the tasks that need pilots to differentiate between colors include:
- Reading instrumentation.
- Reading caution lights in the cockpit.
- Determining aircraft at night, especially about position and direction of travel.
- Identification of runway lights at nighttime.
- Reading color-coded documentation and checklists.
Color Vision Testing
FAR Part 67 states that to get a medical certificate, applicants must have “… the ability to perceive those colors necessary for the safe performance of airman responsibilities.” This statement seems incomplete, and you'd be forgiven for not comprehending what the FAA means by “perceive those colors essential for the safe performance of airman duties.”
The truth is, as color vision testing has progressed, the FAA's definition of “those colors” has changed.
To understand the specific color vision capabilities that you will need to obtain specific medical certificates, we need to understand the FAA's color vision testing criteria.
Can I be a Pilot if I'm color blind?
Yes, you can. You can be color blind and become an airline pilot, however, it depends on the severity and what colors you can or can't identify.
Around 1 in 12 men are color blind and in women around the ratio is 1 in 200 women. Color blindness is usually hereditary, but it can be developed with age or disease. Many people don't recognize that they're color blind until they go for their initial pilot medical examination.
Your color vision will be evaluated at your initial Class One Medical assessment (a requirement to be a commercial airline pilot) via the Ishihara test. You will be given 24 plates and you must accurately say which number is visible within each plate. in random order. If you get the first 15 right in a row, you are supposed to have passed the examination.
This test decides whether you have the color vision requirements to fly a commercial aircraft. If you fail the Ishihara test, you will be offered further testing to see if you are color safe. The details of this can be discovered on the UK CAA website.
Up until 2013, an aviator was automatically rejected for a Class One Medical if they are color blind. Due to advancements in color vision testing, it is feasible to accurately estimate the level of color blindness a person has. color vision, even if you are somewhat color blind, it is possible to be issued a Class One Medical.
Test for Becoming A Pilot Even If You Are Colorblind
As you might know, candidates are required to pass a series of tests to become pilots.
One such test is the Pilot's Medical Certificate (Pip) test, which is provided by an aviation medical examiner (AME). This test ensures that all pilots are physically fit adequately to fly safely by looking at things like color vision and hearing, heart rate , blood pressure, lung capacity, and muscle strength.
If you pass the PIP test, Class 1 or 2 medical certificates will be allocated
If you pass the PIP test, you may be allocated a class 1 or 2 medical certificates and can be an aviator. The FAA will issue a letter to the testing facility ensuring your results, which you'll require to provide to your flight school when applying for training.
For the PIP test to be administered, it must be provided at an FAA-approved facility by an FAA-certified doctor during the medical assessment.
If you fail the PIP test, only a class 3 medical certificate will be allocated
There are some restrictions on your license. If you fail the PIP test, you will be issued only a class 3 medical certificate, which restricts you to flying aircraft that have only basic instruments, ie, no electronic “glass” cockpits. :
- You cannot fly at night or in climate change conditions less than the minimum for visual flight rules (VFR) and instrument flight rules (IFR).
- You cannot fly into IMC or over the water above a specified distance from shore, whichever is greater. areas like metropolia and towns.
- In addition to all of this, there are also specific types of airspace where pilots must have certain certifications before they can join them—for instance, military training zones require an instrument rating and special permission from air traffic control before joining them.
There is equipment that assists with some types of color blindness when it comes to flying an aircraft.
First, you can opt for color-blind contact lenses. They are available at a few vision correction centers.
Second, there are also color blindness glasses that help with certain types of color blindness by filtering out specific colors from your area of vision, which means that even if you have a problem differentiating red and green (like me) or yellow and blue, these glasses will let you see things more accurately when flying an aircraft or accomplishing anything else that needs looking via a camera lens.
These two options are excellent if they work for your circumstances. But if not, there is another choice: wear sunglasses! The bright sun reflecting off things like water or snow can be challenging for many people who have color blindness anyway; always a good suggestion. If it's sunny outdoors and particularly if it looks like it might rain later—it will make everything simpler to see without any extra equipment required at all!