Pilot Qualification Questions

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narayan9

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Dec 7, 2022
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Hey all - I recently received an appointment to USAFA and on DoDMERB my Current Medical Status was changed to "Qualified". My end goal is to be a pilot, so I was hoping I could get some answers to the following questions:

1. Is there a difference between my current medical status being "qualified" and "potentially pilot qualified"? I have heard of some people getting the second, and I just want to ensure it will not hurt my chances of becoming a pilot.

2. My vision is currently 20/50, but I am worried about it potentially becoming worse than 20/70 by the time I have my 2nd-year pilot qualification checkup. I also have mild astigmatism. Could I get PRK surgery while in USAFA to correct any eye problems that could disqualify me from becoming a pilot?

3. Would very mild pollen allergies that have never been tested by an actual allergist disqualify me from being a pilot? They don't interfere with daily activities, but I listed it in the allergies section of my DoDMERB packet just to be safe.

4. When doing the pilot medical checkup at USAFA, is my old DoDMERB packet considered when determining if I am medically qualified to be a pilot? Or is there a new medical history packet that I fill out?

Thanks so much for any help.
 
I wouldn't be concerned about the qualified vs pilot-qualified status at this point. Its the pilot's physical later on that determines whether you will get to go pilot training or not

As for eye vision, i don't remember what disqualifies you, but within the range, as long as your eyes are 20/20 with glasses you are all good. My son went through AFrotc so its different, but he never wore glasses but he tested at the physical with less than 20/20 eyesight. This was fine as he was within the range and with glasses, he was 20/20. At UPT while getting his eyes checked, they told him to consider laser surgery if he became a fighter pilot.

As for #3, there will be many responses to you telling them about your mild allergies. Some people will tell you that if it's never been diagnosed, it never happened. . You will see answers on the forum responding one way and if you were to go to a website where AF pilots talk, they would respond a different way. What done is done. Who know how they will respond to this info but you cant be the first person who has to deal with pollen
 
My understanding is that if you have never been diagnosed, you would have been better off saying it never happened. Having a pollen allergy is technically disqualifying to becoming an AF Pilot, however nearly everyone is granted a waiver, just another hoop you must jump through. If you don't currently have an allergy but develop one during the process, my understanding is you don't need a waiver. I'm not suggesting lying, especially as you already informed them you have it, but if it's never been diagnosed by a doctor, then it technically never happened. That being said flying with allergies can be extremely painful and those effected typically fly with a prescribed spray that instantly clears up your sinuses.
 
Also eating locally sourced honey, i.e. made from the pollen by the bees local to the area you are at, will help get rid of your body’s allergic reaction to the local pollen. Add it to your tea, cereal, ect.
 
104FW_QA said:
Also eating locally sourced honey, i.e. made from the pollen by the bees local to the area you are at, will help get rid of your body’s allergic reaction to the local pollen. Add it to your tea, cereal, ect.
Click to expand...
I have also heard and read that too. I also read that its completely not true
 
The DODMERB medical qualification for acceptance to an Academy is NOT the same as the flight physical that qualifies you for pilot training. I remember the official flight physical being done late junior year or early senior year. Been a few decades though.

The actual flight physical looks at more things, or goes into more depth, on quite a few things.

One of the biggest is things that catch pilot candidates is the Air Force's version of the color vision test, which is the Cone Contrast Test, or CCT. (Although I read the Air Force medical people are working on a new one.) About 8% of males have the 2 recessive genes that limit their ability to see red/green as precisely as most. They are not color blind, and some still pass the CCT, but it makes it a lot tougher. There are probably other color vision anomalies it catches also.

Other uncommon eye problems with the cornea and retina are discovered, which are fairly rare, and could possibly be waived, but maybe not.

Sometimes uncommon heart arrhythmias are discovered and may or may not be waived.

Every year a handful of pilot hopefuls don't pass the medical for pilot training. Happens.

The only thing I would suggest checking out yourself a little more closely is your color vision. If you can't find your way into a place with a CCT, at least try an Ishihara color vision test. The ones with a circle and numbers that blend in with similar colored dots. If you have much trouble at all with those your first time through, you are more likely to fail the CCT.

Search this forum more about the Air Force CCT. Myself, and others too a I think, have commented on it before in the last few years.
 
SOLL said:
The DODMERB medical qualification for acceptance to an Academy is NOT the same as the flight physical that qualifies you for pilot training. I remember the official flight physical being done late junior year or early senior year. Been a few decades though.

The actual flight physical looks at more things, or goes into more depth, on quite a few things.

One of the biggest is things that catch pilot candidates is the Air Force's version of the color vision test, which is the Cone Contrast Test, or CCT. (Although I read the Air Force medical people are working on a new one.) About 8% of males have the 2 recessive genes that limit their ability to see red/green as precisely as most. They are not color blind, and some still pass the CCT, but it makes it a lot tougher. There are probably other color vision anomalies it catches also.

Other uncommon eye problems with the cornea and retina are discovered, which are fairly rare, and could possibly be waived, but maybe not.

Sometimes uncommon heart arrhythmias are discovered and may or may not be waived.

Every year a handful of pilot hopefuls don't pass the medical for pilot training. Happens.

The only thing I would suggest checking out yourself a little more closely is your color vision. If you can't find your way into a place with a CCT, at least try an Ishihara color vision test. The ones with a circle and numbers that blend in with similar colored dots. If you have much trouble at all with those your first time through, you are more likely to fail the CCT.

Search this forum more about the Air Force CCT. Myself, and others too a I think, have commented on it before in the last few years.
Click to expand...
depth perception is also a killer. It isn't so much that people have an issue with it but rather that the test is somewhat difficult to do. The people working there tend to help you pass that. I always suggest going to an ophthalmologist (preferably one that worked in the AF) and having your eyes examined thoroughly
 
According to an old friend who was a Dr. who specialized in allergies during the first couple of years in a new geographical environment you will likely not experience any symptoms of seasonal allergies. After that they often return.
The honey works for many but it must be local to the area and completly unprocessed. It also takes a good deal of time before it’s effective. Months not weeks.
If your concerned pick up some in the Colorado Springs area and start taking a little daily. I would look for local producer rather than a retail store.
 
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