New international rules for the medical requirements for aviators

So far medical requirements for aviators have been defined by national lice nsing authorities. For a long while ophthalmological problems, insufficienc ies in vision, refraction or color vision, have been responsible for approx imately 50 % of rejection of applicants for medical reasons. New international regulations proposed as well by ICAO as JAA try to lead t o a new balance in these requirements. In general,ophthalmological requirem ents now allow for lower standards, specifically in refraction, but also in color vision. Also new examination methods are admitted. German and French authorities have announced their opposition being concerned about flight s afety for the future.