DGCA Announces Regulations To Determine Transgender Candidates' Fitness for Pilot Licensing

On Wednesday, August 10, the aviation regulating body Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) released guidelines for medical examiners to use when determining the fitness of transgender applicants for commercial pilot licences. The World Professional Association for Transgender Health's mental health screening requirements must be met in order for transgender candidates who underwent hormone therapy and gender affirmation surgery more than five years ago to be deemed medically appropriate.

In addition to a thorough assessment from their endocrinologist and a report from the surgeon, if there has been surgery within the last year, applicants who have finished treatment within the last five years must also undertake a psychological and mental evaluation. Candidates may be qualified after a review of these submissions.

DGCA Guidelines for transgender pilots

Last month, the DGCA refuted media reports asserting that the agency had refused Adam Harry, a transman from Kerala, permission to obtain a commercial pilot licence. The DGCA later stated that a transgender person can be awarded a fit medical certificate as long as there are "no accompanying medical, mental, or psychological issues," stating that these reports are untrue.

The person will be deemed unfit for three months after which a review can be requested if the aspirant has just started a hormone treatment or has witnessed a change in the dose being supplied. However, there "may" be some restrictions placed on transgender pilots, such as the restriction to only flying as first officers (junior pilots) or the requirement that their co-pilot have 250 hours of experience flying that specific type of aircraft or be a senior captain who is a trainer when they are flying as pilot-in-command.

The Hindu published a story on Harry on July 3 regarding his inability to complete his training in India after the DGCA in April 2020 rejected his application for a student pilot licence due to his need for medical clearance. Harry is the first transgender trainee pilot with a private pilot licence from South Africa. Following that, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment demanded "rules for licencing" for transgender people, calling the DGCA's policy "discriminatory" and in breach of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act of 2019.

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Harry has been battling to become a pilot for six years. He moved to South Africa in 2016 to attend the Sky Hawk Aviation Academy in Johannesburg, but his parents reportedly forcibly called him to India and placed him under house arrest for about ten months when he came out as a transgender man on social media. After leaving his house, he settled down with a family in Ernakulum's trans neighbourhood and began working at a juice bar. He received a grant from the Keralan government in 2019 to finish his education at the Rajiv Gandhi Academy for Aviation Technology in Thiruvananthapuram.