advice on co-worker issue

[LanceDriver]

just found out one of the guys at my company is color-blind and uses some cronny FAA doctor to pass him on his medical each time.

I know this because he told me one night while we were drinking beers. I acknowledged it and moved forward, not wanting to "drop dimes."

This guy is one of the company a-holes, but he likes me.

Last week, my little brother had some sort of ROTC college physical that supposedly is "the same thing" as a AF Pilot flight physical, and he was saddened to learn his vision does not meet AF pilot standards.

now this thing takes a personal turn, as I see this guy at work, employed, via his crony doctor, while I must try to explain to my little brother how there are "other options" in the world besides serving your country as a fighter pilot.

rec course of action on my co-worker? leave it alone?

whats right is right and whats wrong is wrong

 

[FN FAL]

just found out one of the guys at my company is color-blind and uses some cronny FAA doctor to pass him on his medical each time.

I know this because he told me one night while we were drinking beers. I acknowledged it and moved forward, not wanting to "drop dimes."

This guy is one of the company a-holes, but he likes me.

Last week, my little brother had some sort of ROTC college physical that supposedly is "the same thing" as a AF Pilot flight physical, and he was saddened to learn his vision does not meet AF pilot standards.

now this thing takes a personal turn, as I see this guy at work, employed, via his crony doctor, while I must try to explain to my little brother how there are "other options" in the world besides serving your country as a fighter pilot.

rec course of action on my co-worker? leave it alone?

whats right is right and whats wrong is wrong

Get the other pilot and his doctor to sign a waiver stating they will "hold you harmless". Otherwise known as a "covenant not to sue". Then take a running leap at doing your worst damage.

After all, the worst that can happen is the doctor might lose his license and the pilot his...and then they might read the small print in the waiver you had them sign, realizing they never agreed not to murder you.

I'd say you've got two choices, move on...or take your risks. There's what the preacher will tell you is right v. wrong. Then there's the right or wrong of getting sued, where the plaintiff's only need to show preponderance of the evidence...preponder that one for a minute. Then there's the right v. wrong of someone in that party deciding that 7 years of prison life, in exchange for "reciprocity", is more than fair and square.

 

[been-there]

Trust me, there are plenty of slimeballs in all walks of life. No need to lower yourself to their level. It does seem they get all the breaks, but their time will come.

 

[Midnight Flyer]

just found out one of the guys at my company is color-blind and uses some cronny FAA doctor to pass him on his medical each time.

I know this because he told me one night while we were drinking beers. I acknowledged it and moved forward, not wanting to "drop dimes."

This guy is one of the company a-holes, but he likes me.

Last week, my little brother had some sort of ROTC college physical that supposedly is "the same thing" as a AF Pilot flight physical, and he was saddened to learn his vision does not meet AF pilot standards.

now this thing takes a personal turn, as I see this guy at work, employed, via his crony doctor, while I must try to explain to my little brother how there are "other options" in the world besides serving your country as a fighter pilot.

rec course of action on my co-worker? leave it alone?

whats right is right and whats wrong is wrong

I do know that some FAA Physical Doctors are like that. My Dr just comes in after the nurse, asks me how im feeling, listens to my chest and signs my class one. He's in there less than 5 minutes. Of course, the nurse does the eye test, blood pressure, height/weight, etc... The vision test is the same one that has been in that office for over ten years or so, and I pretty much know what the answers are anyway because it's the same every year. He dosent even bother to do a hearing test any more. A 70 year old could probably get a class one at this place. (I don't go to him cause he's easy, I have no disqualifying medical conditions anyway, I like him 'cause he fast)

That's too bad about your brother. That would be an honor to serve your country in a capacity such as that.
I sort of have mixed views about your co worker. Maybe he shouldn't be flying given the fact that he's an ahole to begin with, and he's lying to the FAA and your company. Aren't people born colorblind? I don't think people just wake up one day unable to distinguish different colors. So basically, he should have never persued a flying career knowing he had a disqualifying condition, so yes, in my opinion, he's in the wrong.
On the other hand, if you're living the good life as a senior captain at a well paying airline and you discovered that you have a disqualifying condition (I'm talking minor condition; nothing like narcolepsy for example) would you disclose immediately or find a doctor like the one you mentioned above? If you lost your medical at 58 years old for example, you may never fly again because by the time they get around to giving you your class one medical, you'll be 60 years old. You would have lost tons of money.
I don't want to start a flame war with all the moral police types, so I won't say what I'd personally do in the above situation....just my 2 cents worth.

Midnight

 

[GravityHater]

Has color deficiency been shown irrefutably to be a cause of any aircraft accident?

 

[Kream926]

thats a big a$$ cat

but ya why doesnt he get a SODA?

 

[Vladimir Lenin]

waiver is all he needs, leave him alone

 

[Vector4fun]

Forget about it. Civilian pilots can get a waiver for color blindness, one of my instructors years ago had one. Apparently military pilots can't. I had a primary nomination to the Naval Academy at one time, but couldn't get a "waiver" for my 20/80 vision. Didn't prevent me from getting a 1st class FAA physical though. So I explored plan B, then plan C, etc.

Now I find myself eligible this month for a Civil Service retirment, and I make six figures annualy. Also, my retirement is not (yet) in danger of disappearing down a rat hole. All in all, could have worked out much worse.

Life is not, nor will be, "fair".

 

[FN FAL]

Forget about it. Civilian pilots can get a waiver for color blindness, one of my instructors years ago had one. Apparently military pilots can't.

Cool...hopefully, I'll make it to the end of my career without having to go through any waiver process, but it is nice to know that some issues can be worked out.

Back on the subject, this is the reason I tell people to "talk to the hand" when they start out telling me something I really don't want to be burdened with...especially something like this.

A coworker from a long time ago started telling me about a buddy of his that allegedly was involved in a federal crime. I told the coworker, that anything he said after this warning, was going straight to the BATFE. His buddy died in a tragic home accident shortly after this conversation.

If someone starts telling you something that might implicate you as an accessory, you need to speak up and tell this person that anything they say after this point is going to be documented and forwarded to the authorities.

That is how you can avoid asking yourself these moral delema questions.

I don't know what the guy told you about his doctor or his "alleged" color blindness, but if you go off half cocked and armed with only "hearsay", you could find yourself in more trouble than that pilot or the doctor. Especially, if the pilot DOES have a waiver. Maybe what this pilot was trying to say, but apparently did not ARTICULATE it clear enough for you...is that you can get a waiver to fly commercially.

 

[BD King]

waiver is all he needs, leave him alone

El correcto. I'm color blind and carry a waiver. No problem flying. Now coordinating tie to sport coat is something else.


www.bdkingpress.com

 

[apcooper]

Last time I checked it is not a crime to not report someone for doing something illegal unless you actively tamper with evidence or obstruct justice. Think about it. If you are at a party and a few of your buddies are in the corner shooting up coke, you legally are under no obligation to report them. On the other hand if they do get caught and are arrested and questioned and later the cops ask YOU what you saw and you deny knowing or seeing anything when you did, then that I think is a crime. I could be wrong but I think I have it straight.

 

[transpac]

just found out one of the guys at my company is color-blind and uses some cronny FAA doctor to pass him on his medical each time.

It's doubtful that the fellow is "color blind", as that's an extremely rare condition. It's more likely that he's color deficient to some degree. A high percentage of males are color deficient, but most can still pass standard color vision tests. An AME is allowed to use a lot of different methods other that the usual color plates to determine if minimum color standards are met. And, if an airman can pass a specialized color vision test, such as the Farnsworth Lantern test, just one time, it's possible to get a letter from the FAA that precludes him/her from ever having to take a color vision test again. If an airman can't pass any of the tests, he/she can still get a statement of demonstrated ability from the FAA by demonstrating the ability to recognize tower light signals.

Since it's so easy to legally address the problem it's not likely that an AME would ignore a color vision problem because he's a "cronny" of the applicant. I think someone's is feeding you a line and is waiting on your reaction.

 

[air_chompers]

I think this is up the severity of the color-blindness, I am mildily color blind, In fact the onyl color I have proboloms with is green. But this is a very case by case desiese.

 

[FN FAL]

Last time I checked it is not a crime to not report someone for doing something illegal unless you actively tamper with evidence or obstruct justice. Think about it. If you are at a party and a few of your buddies are in the corner shooting up coke, you legally are under no obligation to report them. On the other hand if they do get caught and are arrested and questioned and later the cops ask YOU what you saw and you deny knowing or seeing anything when you did, then that I think is a crime. I could be wrong but I think I have it straight.

True, but a reasonable and prudent person would leave such a party or contact the host and advise them of the situation. If the host did not do something about it, that reasonable and prudent person would then leave the party...I would be gone so fast and never return. I don't have time for that kind of excitement in my life.

If that citizen then chose to "narc" on these people at the party, that could become interesting. Consider the case of Tom Monfils and his murder, which took place while he was at work.

Tom Monfils reported the "alleged" theft of company property to police. A group of men found out about this and obtained a copy of the audio tape of the phone call made to the police, utilizing the FOIA. When they determined it was Tom Monfils, they beat him up, tied a weight around his neck and threw him into a paper repulping vat, where he subsequently became part of that days production of Northern Bathroom Tissue...over the theft of an extension cord.

To jump back to the story of the "coke party", you don't have to say a word to the police when they raid the party...just remember, they can take any statement you make and twist the context.

Say you are at a party and all the sudden you walk into the basement looking for the bathroom and you see 5 or 6 people snorting coke...just leave.

However, if two seconds later the police bust the joint...shut the hell up. You've done nothing wrong and uttering will only make things worse for you. Uttering false statements will really make things bad for you. Never lie to the police and never say anything that you might regret later...don't wait for the Miranda, just shut the hell up.

 

[transpac]

I think this is up the severity of the color-blindness, I am mildily color blind, In fact the onyl color I have proboloms with is green. But this is a very case by case desiese.

If you can see anything other than black/white/gray, you are not color blind. Sounds to me like you're mildly color deficient.

A big problem is that a lot of AMEs don't administer the Ishihara Color Plate test correctly. For the test to be valid it must be administered in natural sunlight or under an incandescent light with a blue filter. Most AMEs give it under cheap flourescent lighting. Next time you take it, wander over to a window or hold the book under an incandescent light. It's amazing how the numbers magically appear.