>>1946487The most FAA sanctioned route is to get a SODA. You just need 9/9 on the light gun test at the airport, even one wrong answer puts a lifetime restriction on your medical. Safe to say a lot of pilots who could pass this test don't take it due to that risk. The checkride is component is basically a joke, the FSDO is looking to pass you on it. Just a cover your ass thing for the regulator.
The next most legit way is to just find a test you can pass. The FAA has like a dozen tests they accept and the tolerances for wrong answers are widely, widely misunderstood. AME's see an applicant get two circles wrong then fail them, the real treshhold is barely more than 50% correct. Also the diversity in tests is really wide. Usually even the moderately colorblind can pass at least one of the tests in the right conditions, and that's all the FAA requires. This is what I did. Cost a lot of money and time, but I found a test that worked for me. Its completely above board, your old restriction will be taken off.
The more dubious methods are to find a sympathetic AME who will look the other way. They aren't that rare, but its hard to find them because its not like they are out there advertising. Still, if you network and schmooze in your local GA scene you might find one.
Lastly some of the tests are defeatable. I don't know which tests and how, I just now that you are very unlikely to find much info about it online and the guys who went this route are extremely hush-hush about it. I am certain it can be done, depends how badly you want it...apparently its not easy to defeat them.
Colorblind pilots are a bit of a fraternity. And the only way you can really recognize another one is if you are one yourself, like when you sit with someone who will describe things by anything other than what color they are. Dead giveaway. But we all look out for each other in an unspoken way.
