The Civil Aviation Authority has published new guidance on how pilots living with HIV will be medically assessed to obtain and continue to hold their UK licences.
With support from the Terrence Higgins Trust, the National AIDS Trust and the British HIV Association, the regulator said a “timely diagnosis of HIV” and antiretroviral therapy gives a “much lower risk” of a pilot suffering conditions that could impair their ability to safely fly aircraft.
The CAA said its new guidance reduces the need for pilots with HIV to undergo additional cognitive testing and gives a clearer path for pilots to obtain unrestricted medial certification in the UK.
The regulator has also announced a six-month period, beginning June 17, during which any pilot or air traffic control officer, who has in the past not declared their HIV positive status when applying for an aeromedical certificate, can come forward in “total confidence” to the CAA to correct their record, without having to notify their employer.
Anyone who does come forward will face no enforcement action for not declaring their HIV positive status sooner, the CAA confirmed.
Richard Moriarty, chief executive of the CAA, said: “The UK will continue to lead the way in supporting pilots living with HIV to fly safely and pursue their careers and dreams.
“Recent medical advances mean that if someone with HIV effectively manages their condition, they should be able to live a near-normal life. Our new guidance recognises this.
“I want to appeal personally to anyone who has previously not declared their HIV status to contact us within the next six months so we can reset this with you in total confidence.”
Ian Green, chief executive of the Terrence Higgins Trust, said: “These landmark changes, removing the final barriers to people living with HIV having a full career as a commercial pilot, reflect the huge progress we’ve made in the fight against HIV over the last 40 years and mark the UK as a global leader in HIV aviation policy.
“Outdated restrictions were holding pilots living with HIV back in their careers, but now the CAA’s policies and practices will reflect the reality of living with HIV today.”