By Steven Brocklehurst
BBC Scotland News
A man who was HIV-positive and successfully defied the rules that prevented him from training as an airline pilot decided to reveal his identity.
James Bushe had previously wanted to remain anonymous, using the pseudonym "Pilot Anthony" on Twitter to write about his struggle to become a pilot.
The 31-year-old man said he had decided to go public to challenge the stigma surrounding people living with HIV.
He was not allowed to train because he could not obtain a medical certificate.
However, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) eventually overturned the ruling.
James has been flying alongside Loganair's training captains since November, but has now completed his training to qualify to regularly fly the airline's Embraer 145 Regional Jets from its base at Glasgow Airport.
This makes him the first newly certified pilot in Europe who is living with HIV.
The CAA's previous interpretation of European regulations meant that pilots who were already qualified could continue to fly if they contracted HIV, subject to medical fitness.
However, a "capture 22" situation meant that a person who was HIV positive could not obtain the necessary accreditation to begin training to become a pilot.
James explained: “The reason is that the AAC considered there was a risk that the HIV-positive person could become incapacitated during the flight, potentially. That rule would also have covered other conditions, such as diabetes.”
"The evidence for this was studies conducted in the early 1990s."
"Someone who is on successful treatment and is now living with HIV is undetectable. They cannot transmit that virus to others and pose no risk to themselves or those around them."
"It didn't make any sense. I wanted to challenge him."
James, originally from Stoke-on-Trent, took that fight to the CAA and won.
It changed its rules to stop refusing to grant medical licenses to people with HIV.
In contrast, people with HIV will be eligible to receive a certificate that allows them to fly, but restricts them to multi-pilot operations.
The agency said it was as far as it could go until the European Aviation Safety Agency reformed its rules.
James, who was diagnosed with HIV five years ago, had obtained his private pilot's license at the age of 17 before he was able to drive a car.
He had wanted to be a pilot since he was a child and started flying when he was 15.
He said he was surprised when he discovered that his HIV status meant he couldn't train to be a pilot.
"This has been a lifelong dream, and to hear that it wasn't going to happen was devastating," she said.
After 18 months of training, James said it was an incredible feeling to be a pilot.
"The joy of flying that I felt when I first started training is even greater today, particularly in light of this victory," he said.
His decision to "come out" as an HIV-positive pilot was difficult, he said.
His inspiration was former rugby player Gareth Thomas, who revealed his HIV status in the summer.
James Bushe said it was a lifelong dream to be a pilot.
James said he felt that using an alias on Twitter perpetuated the stigma surrounding people living with HIV.
"I'm doing this as I am today because I want to challenge that stigma," she said.
"It's not just about me, it's about anyone living with HIV who wants to become a pilot. I want to spread the message that they can do it."
"My message to anyone living with HIV and facing discrimination is to challenge it and you can win."
Life expectancy for people diagnosed with HIV is now close to the population average due to advances in antiretroviral therapy, which reduces the virus's ability to attack the body's immune system.
James says that living with HIV today is not like it was in the eighties and nineties.
"HIV should not be an obstacle for anyone to pursue their dreams and become whatever they want to be," he said.
Dr. Ewan Hutchison, head of medical assessment at the CAA, said: “We are delighted to see James begin his career, having completed his commercial pilot training. He has worked hard to raise awareness of the challenges faced by aspiring pilots living with HIV.”
"For several years we have promoted changes at the international level to the current rules that affect pilots with certain medical conditions, including HIV."
He said the CAA was providing medical expertise to support the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), with a review of recent HIV-related research and its findings likely to be published in the coming months.
Dr. Hutchison added: "We hope this may result in the removal of some restrictions related to medical certificates for commercial pilots living with HIV."
From: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-51066420