Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Sunday, Jun 01, 2025

Pilot becomes first HIV positive man to fly commercial plane in Europe

The first HIV positive commercial pilot in Europe has encouraged others with the condition to ‘follow their dreams’.

James Bushe, 31, from Stoke-on-Trent, has completed his training with Loganair and will regularly fly jets from the airline’s base at Glasgow Airport.

He had originally been denied the chance because of his HIV status but a campaign led by the charity HIV Scotland prompted the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to change the rules in the UK.

Mr Bushe, who was diagnosed five years ago, was eventually granted the medical certificate he required to fly.

‘My hope now is that it triggers action not just in the UK but in the rest of Europe.

‘Anyone who has felt restricted by the condition, who is in my situation, can now follow their dreams.

‘The situation was not only discriminatory but utterly devastating to someone whose only wish since childhood was to become an airline pilot.’

Mr Bushe was at first denied the chance to take up a training position as an airline pilot when the CAA said it was bound to follow the rules laid down by the European regulator, the European Aviation Safety Authority (EASA).

It stated people living with HIV had to have a Class 1 medical certificate – with an addition called an Operational Multi-crew Limitation (OML) – to become an airline pilot.

The only way to obtain that accreditation would be to already have a commercial flying licence that allowed training as a co-pilot alongside a training captain.

Mr Bushe, who has detailed his journey online using the Twitter pseudonym Pilot Anthony, began learning to fly small aircraft from the age of 15.

He added: ‘Today, someone who is HIV-positive and on successful treatment poses no risk to flight safety and should be treated no differently to a person who is not living with the condition.

‘I’ve decided to forgo my anonymity because I believe it is important that this point is emphasised to everyone – there is no reason in the year 2020 why a person who is HIV-positive should face barriers in any profession.

‘Living with this condition doesn’t threaten my life or my health at all and I cannot pass HIV on to others.

‘I want to put that out there to the millions of people who are living with the same fear and stigma that I was once living with.’

Loganair chief executive Jonathan Hinkles said: ‘HIV is not a bar to employment in other industries and there is no reason why it should be so in aviation.’

The CAA said it was pleased to see Mr Bushe start his career.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
The Daily Debate: The Fall of the Dollar — Strategic Reset or Economic Self-Destruction?
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
Saudi-Spanish Business Forum Commences in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia and Spain Sign MoU to Boost SME Sectors
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
A Chinese company made solar tiles that look way nicer than regular panels!
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
Saudi Arabia Emerges as Global Tech Magnet with U.S. Backing and Trump’s Visit
This was President's departure from Saudi Arabia. The Crown Prince personally escorted him back to the airport.
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
Trump takes a blow torch to the neocons and interventionists while speaking to the Saudis
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
Michael Jordan to Serve as Analyst for NBA Games
×