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Thread: Legally blind in one eye

  1. #1

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    Legally blind in one eye

    Can I obtain a license to fly a aircraft being blind in one eye.

  2. #2
    cluttonfred's Avatar
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    Wiley Post did it! Seriously, do you have a driver's license? Depending on where you live, that may be enough medically for a sport pilot or microlight license. If not, then in the U.S. and certain other countries you can fly a single seat ultralight with no medical requirements.
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  3. #3
    FlyingRon's Avatar
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    Yes, presuming the vision in the other eye is good then an AME can issue you a medical "valid for student pilot purposes only." After you can legally be PIC (signed off for solo) you can schedule a "monovision checkride" with an FAA examiner who will issue you a Statement of Demonstrated Ability (SODA) and remove that restriction.

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by Matthew Long View Post
    Wiley Post did it! Seriously, do you have a driver's license? Depending on where you live, that may be enough medically for a sport pilot or microlight license. If not, then in the U.S. and certain other countries you can fly a single seat ultralight with no medical requirements.
    There are airline pilots with First Class medicals that are blind in one eye. So yes, you can get a medical and a pilot certificate being blind in one eye.

  5. #5
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    I believe so but only for student purposes.

  6. #6

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    Yes, you can get a pilot's certificate* while being blind in one eye. Greg and Ron have it right.

    One of the best pilots I've flown with is someone, a rated private pilot, that wanted to renew his night currency with me and was blind in his left eye, as I recall. What impressed me was how much more careful he was to scan for traffic than a lot of other folks I've flown with.

    ------------

    *FWIW, you don't get a pilots license in the US- you get a certificate. Not a big deal, really, just something I point out. And Greg, now you know what other forum you've met me on.
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  7. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by sereniaL View Post
    I believe so but only for student purposes.
    Not according to my experience. My friend and fellow pilot (ATP part 135) developed a detatched retina in one eye and was well on his way to get recertified. He detailed the procedure thats in part 67, which you can dig out as well as I, required that he demonstrate his ability with someone from the FSDO in a real aircraft. He decided to retire instead. There was also an a/c scheduleing issue.
    I sometime drew a co pilot from our training dept who was also a check airman. He gave me a 6 month check along with type certificate. It came out in the oral that he only had one eye. He went through flt training after he lost the eye in the Navy and had to get out. He left us to go with the FAA. He owned a Citabria.
    Go for it. Its not that rare. Bob

  8. #8
    FlyingRon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by sereniaL View Post
    I believe so but only for student purposes.
    ...until you take the monovision ride with the FAA inspector...see my original response.

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by mikesab1 View Post
    Can I obtain a license to fly a aircraft being blind in one eye.
    What Ron wrote is correct. My flying pal had to do this so he could finally get a pilot's license at 64 yrs. old. A life long dream not possible in his native England. See, good thing we revolted!
    And a local fellow had a bad accident with a rotorcraft of some kind, costing him an eye. Within a year he had his paper in order and is flying legally again.
    Good luck!

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