USAF flight surgeons and color vision

[hidradenitis]

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Will color-blindness prevent you from doing flight surgery? Is there anything else that could prevent someone from flight surgery who is an otherwise normal military doc?

 

[MoosePilot]

Will color-blindness prevent you from doing flight surgery? Is there anything else that could prevent someone from flight surgery who is an otherwise normal military doc?

I'm not a flight surgeon, so take my advice for what it is 🙂

This reg seems to govern:

http://www.e-publishing.af.mil/pubfiles/af/48/afi48-123/afi48-123.pdf

Attachment 7 includes flying standards. Flight surgeons seem to require a flying class II. Bullet A.7.10.2 and the Note right below it seem to have your answer. Check it out.

 

[Informer]

http://forums.military.com/1/OpenTopic?a=tpc&s=78919038&f=364190332&m=4111932196&r=31610315#31610315

look for posts by av8rdoc
hope that helps some

 

[MoosePilot]

http://forums.military.com/1/OpenTopic?a=tpc&s=78919038&f=364190332&m=4111932196&r=31610315#31610315

look for posts by av8rdoc
hope that helps some

Don't know if he's a good example. Sounds like he found a way around the test about 30 years ago, but YMMV.

 

[hidradenitis]

Thanks much for the info, folks; much appreciated; great link, Moose.

Anyone know what 'minor color vision impairment' refers to? Sounds to me like 9/14 is minimum for FCII without waiver; I'm 6/14. How far can that go to get a waiver or does that just depend on current 'needs of the military'?

 

[militarymd]

As a flight surgeon (not dual designator) you will not be pilot-in-command of an aircraft. Depending on the need, just about any medical condition will be waived. I wouldn't get too worked up about poor color vision.

 

[FliteSurgn]

I agree with militarymd. I'm fairly certain that they would waive your color vision based on results you quoted. One consideration is that the regulations clearly state that the test must be given under a specific, approved illuminant (light), but I've only seen this light a few times despite administering and receiving this test multiple times.

 

[hidradenitis]

Outstanding; thanks for the feedback, y'all.