Color-deficieny: Pilot employment options?

[Coop-814]

Hello, new poster here.

I'm 27, and it's always been in the back of my mind that I want to become a pilot. The plan is to start training in a few months, after I've thoroughly researched my options.
I have a significant problem: I'm partially color-blind. I consistantly fail the Ishihara (colored dots with imbedded numbers) test, which is used in the FAA medical.

I have two alternative options: The Farnsworth lantern test, or the light gun test on the airfield. Supposedly, if I pass the Farnsworth, nothing will be written on my medical- in such a case, no problem. But if I were to fail the Farnsworth and pass the light gun test, I'd have a waiver on my medical that I've heard the airlines would NOT view favorably (read: employment quite near impossible).

Question number one: If I end up with a waiver on my medical, how bleak are my employment prospects? I was thinking of training with ATP then trying to get on with a regional.

Question number two: Should I fail both and find myself simply banned from night flight and color signals, what are my options? The goal is a flying job. Could I be a CFI who just can't night-instruct? Could I fly a jump plane for a skydiving outfit? Any other ideas?

This has been a dream in the back of my mind since I was too young to remember. I even got most of the way to a PPL in college, but had to stop because of time and money (I failed the color test for that medical, too BTW). I'd hate to have this dream fall through the cracks because I couldn't see some dots!

Thanks for your help, in advance.

[Dugie8]

I've been employed by 2 airlines and now a 135 operator (hired by a 3rd airline but turned it down) with a Statement of Demonstrated Ability (SODA) for color vision, got that by passing the light gun test.

[Murdoughnut]

They don't give waivers for the signal light gun test anymore - you get a letter that you show your AME and nothing goes on your medical. I had a SODA from taking the light gun test back in '96, and then one day they sent me a letter and said the policy had changed - now I just show this letter to the AME and he doesn't test my color vision.

I'm told if you fail the light gun test twice, you're done for good - I would just watch that. Contact your local flight standards office for more info.

[Coop-814]

Thank you for taking the time to respond to my questions.

For the best chance of passing, would you folks recommend that I take the light gun test at night? During daylight hours? On a sunny or cloudy day? Or is there a standard (i.e., they only offer the test at night)?