S.O.D.A Ride for Depth Perception

[bqmassey]

Hey Everyone

 

I've completed step one—moving to Houston—on my of my path to being a professional helicopter pilot. Step two is working trying to get a medical.

 

This is my problem. I have a condition in one eye that leaves a blind spot in the center of my vision in that eye. My other eye sees fine. The result is that I have no depth perception. With both eyes open, I still have 20/20 vision with no blind spots and better than average peripheral vision.

 

My understanding is that the AME will test the vision in each eye independently. If that's the case, I will fail miserably with one eye. It's also my understanding that I'll then need a medical waiver achieved through a S.O.D.A. check ride.

 

I'm wondering what this S.O.D.A. ride will entail in a helicopter. I'm not at all concerned about passing. I'm wondering if I need to take instruction first, obviously without a medical, to learn the maneuvers I'll have to perform in the S.O.D.A. ride or if I can take the check ride before I ever start flying.

 

Honestly, I'm not concerned about whether or not I'll get my medical, I'm very confident that I'll be able to get it. I just need to know which order to go about things.

 

Thanks!

 

Brandon

[Gomer Pylot]

Trying to do a SODA ride in a helicopter when you've never flown one doesn't make much sense, and I would be amazed if the FAA even accepted the idea of it. You have to demonstrate the ability to fly the helicopter successfully, and what chance do you have of that if you haven't even had any instruction? I think you're in a Catch-22 situation, which may have no resolution.

[dankaten]

Okay take this from a guy who has taken that same SODA ride. I am blind in one eye and have been for quite a few years. You will have to go take a flight physical. Tell the flight surgeon about your problem and he will notify the FAA. Then you will have to contact the local FSDO and set up the ride. Since you have never flown you will have to take flight training for a minimum of 20 hours so that you can be PIC in an R22 provided you are taking your training in that particular aircraft. If you are taking it in any other aircraft you will just need to solo. Once you have everything set up the FAA will get a check pilot to come out and evaluate you. It is just like taking a checkride except that they will not expect you to do a lot of manuevers since you will be a 10-30 hour pilot. The main thing is to see if you can manuever the aircraft around without destroying anything. This could be an expensive ride for you if you fly 20 hours and don't pass. On the other side it really is an easy ride so if you can drive a car you can handle the ride.

[rjl2001]

Well for what it's worth I have no depth perception either, but do have a FAA Class 2 medical certificate. I've taken military flight physicals for the AF, Navy, and CG and all flight surgeons/opthometrists said I was just born without depth perception. My recommendation would be to take your medical exam and see what happens. If indeed it is a problem, all I can say is good luck with getting the waiver and just be persistent and patient.

[bqmassey]

Thanks for the replies guys! I do appreciate it. Sorry I never responded earlier... found a job that let's me have a LOT of overtime, and I just started coming around VR again.

 

So please tell me if this is correct:

 

1. Take 20 hrs of instruction without a medical
   
2. Pass CFI's solo quiz
   
3. Go to AME, and file paperwork to take a SODA ride
   
4. Take SODA ride prior to actually soloing
   

 

Once I have the go-ahead for a SODA ride, and my instructors thinks I'm ready to solo, I take the checkride?

 

I can't actually solo until I take the SODA ride, my first flight without my instructor will be with the examiner, correct?

[rotormandan]

Thanks for the replies guys! I do appreciate it. Sorry I never responded earlier... found a job that let's me have a LOT of overtime, and I just started coming around VR again.

 

So please tell me if this is correct:

 

1. Take 20 hrs of instruction without a medical
   
2. Pass CFI's solo quiz
   
3. Go to AME, and file paperwork to take a SODA ride
   
4. Take SODA ride prior to actually soloing
   

 

Once I have the go-ahead for a SODA ride, and my instructors thinks I'm ready to solo, I take the check ride?

 

I can't actually solo until I take the SODA ride, my first flight without my instructor will be with the examiner, correct?

 

Correct. When you pass you can then get your medical/student pilot certificate. You just need to become eligible to solo. My dad took one of these a few years back. He is blind in his right eye. All the ride entailed was a few maneuvers flying to certain check points on the ground. The examiner ask him if he could see power lines, If he could see some cows which were actually a pile of rocks and asked him to land in places full of wires and light poles.

[ADRidge]

Wow, I'm not sure how I missed this when it came around the first time. I can only get a Class 3 medical without a SODA due to "Bifoveal Divergence" (my left eye goes wonky when my head is tilted and I get double vision). I've been asking around with little to no luck about how to get a SODA ride, other than my AME saying that I should go ahead and get my PPL before I try to get a Class 2.

 

It made my first couple of 180 auto's exciting, but after having done so many of them, I just tune it out. Now that I know, I think I'm gonna go try to brush up on my maneuvers a bit and go get my 2nd class!