DGCA allows HIV+ commercial pilot to fly, but with riders. Will challenge order, he says | India News – The Times of India

MUMBAI: A US-skilled commercial pilot with HIV on Tuesday informed the Bombay HC that Directorate Normal of Civil Aviation (DGCA)’s certification deeming him match to fly as a commander but solely with a extra skilled pilot beside him was “discriminatory.” He now plans to file a contemporary petition difficult the rider on his licence solely as a result of of his HIV standing.
“If the petitioner has any grievance of the following developments and the contemporary certification… it’s for the petitioner to challenge the identical as could also be permitted in regulation,” stated Justices Girish Kulkarni and Advait Sethna.
The pilot filed the petition final 12 months via his father. In July 2021, a medical check deemed him match to function a pilot in command. He had cleared DGCA exams to develop into a civil commercial pilot. In Oct 2021, he was knowledgeable of the HIV analysis and issued a ‘short-term unfit for flying’ medical certificates. In Dec 2021, DGCA knowledgeable him he was ‘completely unfit for flying’ as a pilot in command. On attraction, in Could 2022, DGCA deemed him ‘match for flying as (co-pilot) solely.’ Thereafter, he left for the US.
DGCA’s Dec 18 reply stated the petitioner is on anti-retroviral remedy (ART), together with medicines which have a number of hostile results. It cited the Worldwide Civil Aviation Organisation’s Guide of Civil Aviation Drugs on the chance of development of the illness after commencing ART. “Contemplating repercussions of illness progress, unpredictable unintended effects of ART, and frequent monitoring constraints, an aeromedical disposition is made declaring him match to fly as pilot in command with certified skilled pilot,” it said.
DGCA’s advocate Piyush Shah stated the petitioner utilized for medical certificates and “in respect of that now we have allowed him as pilot in command” rostered alongside with a extra skilled pilot. The pilot’s advocates, Bhoomika Vyas and Sangram Chinappa, stated if he required a pilot with extra flying hours to be alongside, nobody would rent him. “This could render him unemployable,” stated Vyas, including, “equally positioned individuals, who would not have HIV” face no such rider on their licence.
To the judges’ question, Vyas stated her consumer has now returned from the US. The judges stated the petitioner’s grievance that the DGCA was not contemplating him as a result of of his standing as an HIV+ particular person “in our opinion, would stand redressed.” For every other grievance, he should file a contemporary petition “making out a case.”