Jaeger J2
Jaeger J2 is a slightly larger near-vision test letter size than J1 (corresponding to approximately 20/25 at 30 cm), accepted by some NDT certification standards as the minimum near-vision acuity.
Definition
Some employer written practices accept J2 instead of J1, particularly for visual examination only or for non-aerospace work. SNT-TC-1A and ISO 9712 both permit J1 or J2 depending on the specific edition.
How the scheme works
A near-vision acuity level on the Jaeger test-type scale — some written practices and specifications accept J2 at a defined distance where others require J1; the requirement is whatever the governing document states.
In practice
The operative discipline is identical to J1: annual (or specified) verification, corrected vision acceptable if recorded and worn, and records current for every examiner. Where a client specification demands J1 and the written practice says J2, the contract governs — check before mobilising.
Related schemes and standards
SNT-TC-1A, CP-189 and NAS 410 each state near-vision requirements; employers pin the specific chart and distance in the Written Practice.
The common misunderstanding
Assuming vision requirements are uniform across programmes. A technician compliant under one employer's J2-based practice can be non-compliant on a J1-specified contract the same week — verification against the governing document, not habit.
Where Jaeger J2 fits in an inspection programme
A term is only useful when it connects to a decision. Jaeger J2 appears in written procedures, in technique sheets, and in the records an owner or accreditation body reviews afterwards — which means the way it is defined in your documentation has to match the way it is applied on site. Where the two drift apart, audits find it. Atlantis writes and reviews procedures against the governing codes, trains inspection personnel to apply them, and builds the record-keeping that makes the evidence retrievable years later. Procedure development and code consulting · NDT training and certification · Ask us about your programme.
Related terms
- Jaeger J1 — Jaeger J1 is the smallest standard near-vision test letter size (corresponding to approximately 20/20 vision at 30 cm), the typical minimum acuity required for NDT personnel by most certification standards.
- Near-Vision Test — A near-vision test verifies that an NDT candidate can read small print at a defined reading distance, typically Jaeger J1 (smallest standard test type) or J2 at 30 cm with one or both eyes corrected if necessary.
- Sensory Acuity Examination — Sensory acuity examination is the annual or biennial verification of an NDT candidate's vision and (for color-dependent methods) color perception, required by all NDT certification standards before qualifying examinations.
More certification terms
NDT Level I · NDT Level II · NDT Level III · Central Certification Body · Employer-Based Certification · Recertification · Qualification vs. Certification · Written Practice · Color-Vision Test
Where this comes up in practice
Terms like this one appear in three places that matter commercially: the written practice that governs how your personnel are qualified, the procedures and technique sheets that define how an examination is actually performed, and the evidence an auditor or client asks for when they want to know why an inspection was accepted. Getting the terminology right is the easy part; being able to produce the qualification record, the calibration traceability and the procedure revision that applied on the day of the inspection is the part that decides audits.
Atlantis NDT provides NDT training and certification against ASNT SNT-TC-1A and ISO 9712, ASNT Level III consulting for written practices and procedure approval, inspection management software that holds qualification, calibration and procedure-revision evidence in recoverable form, and an asset integrity platform that binds inspection results to the asset they describe. Browse the full NDT glossary or ask a Level III directly.