omg, ive recently started wearing glasses and i was told that i couldnt fly full scale because i didnt have perfect vision!!! at first i was like "Huh? how does that work" but now im not sure if they were telling the truth or if they were jsut speaking from their anal cavity[X(][X(]

OH TEH NOES! say it aint true... foamy wants to fly!... FOAMY HAS NEEDS!!

Foamy,

I feel your pain on this one. Over on this side of the pond, the FAA had certain vision requirements. Now I haven't flown full scale for a long time now, going on 13 years, do to a couple of heart attacks so things may have changed and I'm sure they have, but I did wear glasses then and held a commercial certificate. When I was flying there were certain things that had to be met. My uncorrected vision had to be at a certain level and my corrected had to be at a certain level. It's amazing what eye doctors can do.

Anyway, check out the regulations for the type of license you have. Be completely honest on your renewel applications. If you are not and it's discovered you had a "problem" that existed when you renewed or originally applied before and you knew about it, but was not reported on prior applications, then you can kiss your certificate and any ratings bye-bye as well as as expect a nice big fine and maybe jail.

You'll find there is a bunch of us that once flew full scale as well as still doing it and we use this hobby as a way to help us enjoy what we felt in the air. You know the feeling I'm talking about.

Foamy,
Yeah what Bubba said!!! If your "Private" you shouldn't have a problem, but ask some questions for sure. If you find a brick wall you might try "Light Sport" Category. NO MEDICAL REQUIRED!!!! Plane must be cert. "Light Sport" (gross less than 1400 lbs.) Any airframe will qualify as long as it is under 1400. At least thats the rules over here on the Yankee side of the fence. Also check out EAA might answer some questions for you, good luck!

Nothing lower than a grounded Pilot!!![sm=48_48.gif]

I don't know what the regs over there say, but in the states you only have to have 20/40 corrected to fly private, and 20/20 corrected for comercial. And of course, the new sport pilot rating which has no vision requirements.

So what does 20/15 vision get you?

HI Foamy,

It depends on what you want to fly, The RAF requires perfect uncorrected 20/20 to fly the fast jets, but not anything else, I know that commerical pilots 5 years ago needed only corrected 20/20 but there is also a minimum and this relates to the type of flying you want, also to learn to fly is a hell of a lot cheaper in the US and I know people who save up and then come over to learn.

So the big question is what type of flying do you want to do, are you looking at private, commerial, ATPL, or military, the CAA will give you the information you need.

J

so... i cant fly an F/A-18 Hornet?

dang... but i can still fly say, a little Extra for fun or maybe a cessna or something right?

Have a certified aviation eye doctor check and correct your vision. Mine is pretty bad without glasses but corrected they had it come out at 20/15. I don't fly anymore because of the expense. When I owned my own plane I flew all the time. That's been some years now. Family took priority. I like the other pilot said. I still hold a private pilot certificate but my med and bi-annual are outdated. I fly giant scale RC to feel the joy of flying again. Once a pilot always a pilot.

Good Luck Foamy,

Gibbs

what about laser eye thingymabob? has anybody tried it and would that be corrected vision or uncorrected? (and will i be able to fly a hornet in the RAF?)

Now we are getting away from R/C stuff for which this forum is all about

You dont need to worry about it for most civillian certifications. Still, do as others suggest and check.

For military, it is a bit different. The regulations for the USAF in regard to vision have changed alot in the last few years. When I was considering the military to further my education I would not have been able to fly what I wanted or most others, probably only troop transport in non hostile situations, but now with as much as vision technology has been changing (long wear contacts, lasik, etc) the USAF are starting to adjust as proven documentation comes in that they would not be putting a pilot, other lives, and lots of $$$ at risk by putting someone without 20/20 uncorrected vision in a cocpit.

The bottom line, check into it.

If we are concerned about off topic, I suggest that this thread be move there, otherwise, let's just enjoy the information.

I can't fathom getting it done myself (I'd panic if ANYTHING was attempted on my eyes...) but I have several family members that have done the lasic surgery.

They've gone from bad eyesight to 20/20 or BETTER.

Since there are no glasses (corrected) involved after the surgery they now meet the any and all "uncorrected" vision requirements.

Still one little slip up with the laser... and HOW DO THEY immoblize your eyeball for the surgery?

(No pictures please!).

good question

and as said, move this thread if you have to but i get better responses here and since i spend most of my time in this part of the forum this is where i come for any help i need, kinda like a new pair of underwear, the ones you know always seem to fit better and flex where needed and new ones thend to be like cardboard and give a welcome hug and not let go for a while...

now THAT is off topic and disgusting...

good question about the eyeball imobilisation... do they use some sort of drug or anasthetic?

Foamy,
Dude its all good, no worries!!! Hey Foamy what is your corrected vision anyway?


Edited by popular demand, my bad.

Let's see. I made a simple suggestion that this was getting off topic and should be moved. Now I get slammed by obviously those of you have not read the rules of posting. Please do so and tell me where this discussion fits in, especially in this particular forum. RCU is for the people to discuss topics related to R/C so please explain to me where the topic of Lasik, eye sight related to flying military aircraft fits in the beginners forum. I agree there is good info up to this point and I am not even going to debate that point at all. It just does not belong in here.

Just because the original poster believes he can get better answers in this particular forum does not mean it may or may not be allowed. He knows this as his posts even mentions it. There are off topic forums on RCU to discuss things like this, all it takes is to move your mouse and use the keyboard and do a search, look under all forums and generally learn to use the site.

I'm as guilty as everyone as feeling bad about his situation as I made the second post.

Now, those of you that want to disagree with me, please do not do it in public, feel free to PM me.

To a point they do meet those requirments. However, in the time since those surguries started becommign mroe common, aviation has placed those in a bit of a midway between corrected and uncorrected. The USArmedF havent yet (as far as i know) started allowing those with surgery corrected vision to fly in situations where they only allowed people with natural vision to fly. There are issues with the surguries (such as halos in the vision) that the USAF have yet to determine if/how hazardous they would be to high performance pilots.

As was said before, just read up on it.

Can't we all just get along?



Again Edited by popular demand, my badder.

I have looked into getting a Private Cert over the past 2 years. The only thing I can not get a strait answer on is what all tests they run on the Class III medical. Just trying to self evaluate before I waste the money seeing a AME or schooling.

http://www.faa.gov/licenses_certific...ification/faq/

Whatever--When I went through flight school for the Army we had to have perfect vision-no glasses but there was a loophole. That was just to qualify. Once you arrived at Flight school, if your vison went "off" a bit or you managed to hide it a while. You would be fitted for glasses and keep on going through school . Saw many guys go through this.

I took many FAA phsicals in my day. last one maybe 10 years ago. Don't remember much on them because they are not much of a physical to begin with. Darn near a joke and are about the same as a CDL physical.

Moderator, please move this to the "Optometry Forum."

in response to arrows post:

CHILL!!!... you dont need to repeat yourself or near flame to get your point across.

not sure about the optometry thingymabob but move it around and play with it all you want :P

"Hello... check... check... is this thing on...? (off soap box)" - now there was no need for that was there?
"Maybe were all pi$$in up a flag pole!!!" - or that

now this is turning into a flame war, lets just leave it at that as cannon has found a good linky

- XxX Foamy Xxx

Hi, I fly 1/2A and have enough vision to occasionally loose a plane in the sky, good thing they only have 3 minutes worth of fuel in them huh....WF I seriously doubt if anyone in this or any other forum, will be able to tell you if your vision (corrected or not) will qualify you for the Royal Air Force...how are your school grades? any community services you are involved in? no police record I take it...see this is where BG is right and we get waaaay off base.... its okay with me..but dont be surprised if you get shut down....Rog

No need to worry. If you're just getting a Class 3, then they'll check your vision and color perception, make sure you aren't deaf, check your blood pressure (which has very liberal standards in your favor) and might give you a drug test if he's in the mood. Basicly make sure you're not about to keel over.

Only problem is cannons link is to the FAA and you are under the CAA (british version of the FAA). As far as the RAF goes I have always had perfect eye sight, I coul dnot do it because I like McDonnalds to much, I also don't think the RAF fly hornets so no luck there, if you want to know you have 2 choices here, look at the RAF website or go to the local recuitment center, if accepted they would even do the eye things for you, but as everybody who joins up the the RAF wants to be a fighter pilot you have to be something special to get on them anyway.

http://www.rafcareers.com/jobs/pilot.cfm

HTH

J

Foamy,

It's a good idea to lay off the booze for about 72 hours prior to the physical. This will improve your eyesight and reduce heart rate and blood pressure. I did this and always passed. If I had not I would have flunked because my blood pressure would have been over their limits. By the way, this is still aviation isn't it? Why worry be happy!

Gibbs