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Lantern Test
Hey,
I was applying for a job as an ATCO, and have been given an invitation to the selection day, however on the application form there was lots of questions about vision - whether your short or long sighted etc, but nothing about colour blindness. I have perfect vision except for a slight red-green colour blindness. I fail on 30% of the ishihara tests. not wanting to waste their or my time, I contacted the recruitment manager explaining what I just mentioned above and he said... "I am afraid that if you have a red/green colour deficiency it is highly likely that you would not be able to hold a medical certificate which is a legal requirement for the ATCO licence. In order to satisfy the medical criteria you would need to be able to pass the "lantern" test." So basically, what I want to know is, can I pass the lantern test if i normally fail the ishihara tests? or is it harder to pass? Also is there anywhere I can get this done publicly... I have spoken to my optician and he says that no-one has asked him for one of those tests for 10 years! he says its only the CAA and some train companies that do these, and he knows of nowhere that you can have one done, except at the interview... Any info will be greatfully recieved. Many Thanks Jon. |
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#3
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"Jono" wrote in message
om... So basically, what I want to know is, can I pass the lantern test if i normally fail the ishihara tests? or is it harder to pass? Also is there anywhere I can get this done publicly... Yes, it's possible to pass the lantern test if you failed the Ishihara Plates. The lantern test, is, however, a complete and utter farce - at least the way the CAA administers it is. I wanted to get my "VFR by day only" restriction (imposed due to slight colour blindness, identified by me failing some of the Ishihara images) lifted, and thus arranged a lantern test with the CAA at Gatwick. The test was held in a windowless room, under fluorescent light. A few minutes into the test I got a combination of red/green wrong, which caused me to fail the test (you're allowed to confuse red and white or green and white, but not red and green, for fairly obvious reasons). At this point the test was terminated and the examiner flatly refused to go any further - despite the fact I had paid good money for the test. So I only ever got to experience the lantern test under bright, fluorescent light - never in ambient light, and never in darkness; and I'm convinced that the fact I was quite tired, having spent the previous four hours on trains and pounding around London on the Tube, didn't help. Since then the CAA has lifted the "VFR" part of my restriction, so I hold an IMC rating and a "Flights by day only" restriction due to my colour vision (you can't do a night rating if you can't pass the colour test). To sum up, then: I am allowed to fly by day, and despite the CAA being of the opinion that I'm colour blind, this seemingly doesn't matter (presumably they understand that if my radio conks out, I'm going to have to look at lights being shone from the tower). But I'm not allowed to fly at night, despite the CAA having never tested my ability to discern colours in the dark. (Incidentally, I've had night lessons and I have indeed been able to distinguish 100% of coloured lights). So you'll see why I have no faith in the CAA's lantern test. One thing I will mention, incidentally: have a look on www.pprune.org; there's a shedload of useful colour vision stuff in the Medical forum there. I have spoken to my optician and he says that no-one has asked him for one of those tests for 10 years! he says its only the CAA and some train companies that do these, and he knows of nowhere that you can have one done, except at the interview... There used to be an optician in Cobham, Surrey, that had a lantern box because the CAA medical department was too busy and so they farmed some lantern tests out. Sadly, I can't remember their name, but I can't imagine there are very many opticians in Cobham. D. |
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#5
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"Jono" wrote in message om... Hey, I was applying for a job as an ATCO, and have been given an invitation to the selection day, however on the application form there was lots In the US there are several standard tests that may be use in place of the Ishihara test when administered by an authorized person. One of these is the Farnsworth lantern test. Check out http://www.aviationmedicine.com/colorvision.htm#stds or Google for more info. It looks like UK pilots who fail the Ishihara test have the Holmes-Wright lantern test as a fallback. Check out http://www.optometry.co.uk/articles/...04/Chorley.pdf Peace and Goodwill, John Severyn KLVK |
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"J. Severyn" wrote in message
... It looks like UK pilots who fail the Ishihara test have the Holmes-Wright lantern test as a fallback. Check out http://www.optometry.co.uk/articles/...04/Chorley.pdf The CAA's documentation has historically been slightly confusing on the matter. The only stuff I found on their Web site when I looked related to Class 1 medicals - the Holmes Wright was not mentioned at all for Class 2 (PPL) medicals. However, the documentation that the CAA sends to AMEs does state (according to my AME) that a Class 2 medical certificate holder can have his colour-vision-induced restriction (which basically states that you may fly by day only, and which is inflicted if you fail the Ishihara Plates test) lifted by passing the HW lantern test. D. |
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