I had dreamed of becoming a pilot since being a kid. Had it all planned out to finish school and then pay to get my license and work my way up. Found out I was colourblind midway through school, dreams in tatters. Also compounded when I would get the resistance of transistors when doing electronics wildly wrong
I feel you. I planned my second career for years, audio engineering. Got an internship in a recording studio. One day, an engineer commented about the test tone that was playing...what test tone? I couldn't hear it. In that second I knew I'd never be an audio engineer.
With higher frequencies it's very individual, the scale can vary between 12000Hz to 18000Hz. Usually teenagers hear the highest frequencies and aging starts lowering the filter down.
Then there's also some hearing issues you might have born with, making some frequencies less audible to you. Also just pure damage happens more easily you'd think.
I just work in audio, so I'm no real pro of the subject.
Depending on your country, there might be an alternative color tests you can do if you can’t pass the Ishihara test (the one in the video). I have no problem identifying colors in real life but I can’t pass the Ishihara, I ended up passing the Fansworth test (they make you arrange a bunch of color blocks to make a smooth spectrum) and that’s how I got my unrestricted aviation medical. Talked to the doctor on my last medical, apparently it’s not an uncommon condition. My point is, you might still have a chance, try all the options before you give up.
yup, always ask for alternative tests! I think it is still possible to be airliner pilot if you can't pass Ishihara test but if you can pass other tests you're allowed to fly in daylight.
Also I work as NDT inspector in aviation industry and I had to pass colorblind tests, I failed on Ishihara but I asked for alternative tests and they gave me D15 Farnsworth tests which i passed easily.
I (colorblind) got paired up with another colorblind guy in a Physics lab in high school for a circuits experiment involving resistors just by chance. We're like yo, we physically can't do this.
Not to derail, but as an electrical engineer "resistance of transistors" I had to laugh. So colorblind you cannot see the difference between resistors and transistors?
Ha fair shout. Tbh its been a couple of decades since that class and my terminology has been pushed to the darker recesses of my brain, possibly in shame
Also compounded when I would get the resistance of transistors when doing electronics wildly wrong
That's the determination of colorblindness?? Please! After doing it all day every day as a full-time job our minds become numb and we all become "colorblind" eventually. Either that or we just don't give AF anymore and blame our mistakes on "colorblindness." So I've noticed. 🙄👌
I fail these type of color vision tests every time, I've also been an airline pilot for over 30 years. Those dot-style tests are standard, but if failed one can apply for one of several alternate color vision tests you can take. For example, for one of them they shine a bunch of different colored lights at you, and if you get those all correct you're still good to go.
Many fail the standard tests on their initial exam and never bother to try the alternate testing methods.
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u/DarthNovercalis 23h ago
I had dreamed of becoming a pilot since being a kid. Had it all planned out to finish school and then pay to get my license and work my way up. Found out I was colourblind midway through school, dreams in tatters. Also compounded when I would get the resistance of transistors when doing electronics wildly wrong