Can't fly at night- career options?

[Coop-814]

So it turns out I have a 'color vision deficiency'. I have a hard time differentiating green from white, especially at night. I passed an accepted alternative test (the FALANT), but while waiting for my waiver, the FAA decided that they no longer accept this test for Class I & II medicals. Looks like I'll have to take a Medical Flight Test, which I may fail. I went up tonight and had ATC flash the light gun at me on downwind, and I had a hard time telling green from white.

I hate offices. They aren't for me. I want to be a pilot, I've always wanted to be a pilot. I'm about to take my private checkride. I'm still in my 20's, and I have a four-year college degree. But with a medical forever stamped "Not valid for night flight or by color signal control", what options do I have beyond towing a banner down a beach for $12.00 an hour? I don't necessarily need to be Captain American Airlines 747 Guy, but I need to pay the bills. Can I still be a pilot?

[aloft]

Giving flight instruction only requires a 3rd class medical, and you could do just instrument or multi training, which wouldn't require night ops.

[WacoFan]

Take serious look at aerial application. There is a member here named T-cart that is not only a former Ag pilot but a genuinely nice guy. There is a growing need for this, I don't believe pilots are flocking to it, and I also think many old-timers are retiring. The airplanes are incredibly cool now - the days of breathing DDT in a 450 Stearman are over. Take a look at the Air Tractor website www.airtractor.com to see what the planes are. It pays pretty well I believe, but ask T-cart the specifics.

Hope all goes well for you!

[ppragman]

Originally Posted by Coop-814

So it turns out I have a 'color vision deficiency'. I have a hard time differentiating green from white, especially at night. I passed an accepted alternative test (the FALANT), but while waiting for my waiver, the FAA decided that they no longer accept this test for Class I & II medicals. Looks like I'll have to take a Medical Flight Test, which I may fail. I went up tonight and had ATC flash the light gun at me on downwind, and I had a hard time telling green from white.

I hate offices. They aren't for me. I want to be a pilot, I've always wanted to be a pilot. I'm about to take my private checkride. I'm still in my 20's, and I have a four-year college degree. But with a medical forever stamped "Not valid for night flight or by color signal control", what options do I have beyond towing a banner down a beach for $12.00 an hour? I don't necessarily need to be Captain American Airlines 747 Guy, but I need to pay the bills. Can I still be a pilot?

Fly 135 freight up in alaska, great money, and a lot of fun. Plus, you'll fly in the day because you don't wantto fly at night in the winter.

[Murdoughnut]

Want a hint? The white light is brighter than the green light. Park 500 yards or so from an airport at night and see if you can tell the difference. If you can, then that might get you through the Signal Light Gun test

[darrenf]

Originally Posted by Murdoughnut

Want a hint? The white light is brighter than the green light. Park 500 yards or so from an airport at night and see if you can tell the difference. If you can, then that might get you through the Signal Light Gun test

That's great provided they show him both signals with the light gun before he has to determine color, but if they ask him "what color" on the first shot, well...



Sorry to hear about your medical.

[HeyEng]

Originally Posted by ppragman

Fly 135 freight up in alaska, great money, and a lot of fun. Plus, you'll fly in the day because you don't wantto fly at night in the winter.

If he can't get a class II, how will he fly pt 135?

[rockman2343@aol.com]

There are several other test you can take, do not take the light gun test until you have exhausted all other options, PM me for more information, I'd write more right noe but I have to get going.

[Murdoughnut]

Originally Posted by darrenf

That's great provided they show him both signals with the light gun before he has to determine color, but if they ask him "what color" on the first shot, well...



Sorry to hear about your medical.

You have a 50% probability of guessing correctly on the first light. If you guess wrong, and get to take the test once more, then you again have a 50% chance of getting it right on the second test.

That results in a 75% chance of getting at least one of them right.

I took the test twice - on the second run (after I had failed once) they showed me all of the lights first.

The key is to go to a tower controlled field, call them up, and ask them to run through the lights a few times for you. Bring a friend who isn't a color tard (that's what my wife calls me).

[Doug Taylor]

Originally Posted by Coop-814

So it turns out I have a 'color vision deficiency'. I have a hard time differentiating green from white, especially at night. I passed an accepted alternative test (the FALANT), but while waiting for my waiver, the FAA decided that they no longer accept this test for Class I & II medicals. Looks like I'll have to take a Medical Flight Test, which I may fail. I went up tonight and had ATC flash the light gun at me on downwind, and I had a hard time telling green from white.

I hate offices. They aren't for me. I want to be a pilot, I've always wanted to be a pilot. I'm about to take my private checkride. I'm still in my 20's, and I have a four-year college degree. But with a medical forever stamped "Not valid for night flight or by color signal control", what options do I have beyond towing a banner down a beach for $12.00 an hour? I don't necessarily need to be Captain American Airlines 747 Guy, but I need to pay the bills. Can I still be a pilot?

I presume you did drop a note to Dr. Forred about Color Deficiency issues?

[onewithwings]

Originally Posted by ppragman

Fly 135 freight up in alaska, great money, and a lot of fun. Plus, you'll fly in the day because you don't wantto fly at night in the winter.

Ummmmm...in the winter, it's MOSTLY night ops anyways! Why would a carrier hire someone (especially in Alaska) who couldn't fly in the winter?

Trust me on this one. I've lived there 30 years and worked both 135 and 121 side of the fence.

He can dispatch or be a CFI. Dispatching is a desk job.

[skydog]

If you can't fly at night, then I would say that aviation is not for you, at least as a pilot. While there might be jobs out there that are considered day-only jobs, there are likely still going to be times where flying at night is required, such as reposition and ferry flights. If you can't do that, then you're not as much use to an employer as pilot that can fly at night. Even if you were able to find a job that really was day-only, I can't imagine that it would pay a decent, livable wage, that is sustainable over a career. It just doesn't seem like a worthwhile investment or a viable career choice for you. I think you would be better off investing that money in an education for a high paying career. That will at least let you afford to fly privately.

That said, there are some non-flying jobs, Dispatcher is the one that comes to mind most readily, where you could still be involved in aviation, if that's what you want.

[DE727UPS]

You could be a professional CFI and only do day flying. You could also do sim instruction.

[OldTownPilot]

Local seaplane joints.....Landing on lakes at night is not a great idea anyways.

Scenic tours.....One of our pilots was 'day only', had zero issues.

CFI, You'll just have to have the students do night stuff with another instructor.

This could lead into getting certified to be a DPE

I dont know about the aerial survey gigs, they only take pictures during the day, but may require positioning flights at night. There are other guys on here that have done this to ask.

[stl]

Originally Posted by Coop-814

So it turns out I have a 'color vision deficiency'. I have a hard time differentiating green from white, especially at night. I passed an accepted alternative test (the FALANT), but while waiting for my waiver, the FAA decided that they no longer accept this test for Class I & II medicals.

Does anybody know the currently accepted alternative color vision tests for Class I & II ?

[Doug Taylor]

I'll bet you the gentleman that answers the questions in the "Ask a Flight Surgeon" certainly knows!