can a person fly with no depth perception?

Wiley Post was a famous "aviator" of the day, and he had only one eye. Of course, he usually served as Will Rogers's pilot, and both were killed in that plane crash in Alaska in 1935...so maybe that doesn't say much good about having a one-eyed pilot! (Actually, the crash had nothing to do with Post's lack of depth perception.)

Of course, Andre de Toth directed the most famous 3D movie, 1953's House of Wax, and he had only one eye, making it impossible for him to see the effect he was photographing. Still, less dangerous than flying.

Loss of depth perception will prevent one from obtaining a Class I necessary for military pilots, commercial pilots, and air traffic controllers. It will not prevent a person from obtaining a private pilot's license, up to and including multi-engine instrument rating. That is current FAA standard.

I don't know what the CAB required in 1933 or during the 1920's. The requirements were probably much lower, but I'm not sure. There were certainly one eyed pilots. The RAF even had a pilot who had lost both legs in a crash before World War II started.

Douglas Bader flew with artificial legs made of wood and aluminum. He became an ace during the Battle of Britain and then was shot down over France. He lost his legs again, but the Red Cross got him a replacement set. When he made an escape attempt the Germans confiscated his legs. He got them back at some point and I don't know if he ever quit trying to escape. Most of them did not.


The best diplomat I know is a fully charged phaser bank.