Gareth Thomas

A HIV-positive man who successfully challenged the Rules that prevented him from training as a pilot has decided to take on his identity.

James Bushe had previously wanted to remain anonymous, writing under the pseudonym "Pilot Anthony" on Twitter, to be about his struggle to pilot.

The 31-year-old said he had decided to go public to challenge the stigma that people living with HIV surrounds.

He could not train because he has a medical certificate could not get.

But the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) finally, the judgment was overturned.

James flies in addition to Loganair training captains since November, but now he has to qualify his training, on a regular basis, the airline Embraer 145 regional jets from its base at Glasgow airport to fly.

It makes him one of The First newly-trained pilots in Europe living with HIV.

The CAA, the previous interpretation of the European Rules meant that pilots who were already qualified, could continue to fly, if you are HIV-positive, subject to the medical fitness.

But, a "catch - 22" situation means that a person who is HIV-positive does not get the accreditation needed, in order to be able to start the training to become a pilot.

James said: "The reason for this is that the CAA considered, there is the risk that the HIV-positive person who is always incapacitated during The Flight , possibly. This rule would also have covered other conditions, such as diabetes.

"was The Evidence of these studies in the early 90s.

"Someone who is on successful treatment and life with HIV is now undetectable. You can't transmit The Virus happen to others and not a danger to themselves or someone around you.

"It doesn't make sense. I wanted the challenge. "

James , who is originally from Stoke-on-Trent, took this fight to the CAA-and won.

He changed his Rules to stop refusing to grant medical licenses to people with HIV.

Instead, people with HIV be entitled to a certificate that allows them to fly, but restrict you to multi-pilot operations.

The Body said it was the furthest it could go to the European aviation safety Agency reformed Rules .

James , who was diagnosed with HIV five years ago, had won his private pilot license at the age of 17 years before he was able to drive a car.

He wanted to be a pilot since he was a child, and began to fly when he was 15.

he said he was shocked when he discovered that his HIV did not mean status that he could train to become a pilot.

"it was a life-long dream, and to hear that it is not going to happen, it was devastating," he said.

After 18 months of training, James said, it was an incredible feeling to actually be a pilot.

"The joy of flying, I felt, to train when I started is even greater today, especially with regard to this victory," he said.

His decision to "come out" as an HIV-positive pilot was hard, he said.

His inspiration was said the ex-rugby player Gareth Thomas ,

James , he felt to perpetuate that the use of an alias on Twitter, the stigma that surrounds people living with HIV.

"I do, like me today, because I want to challenge the stigma," he said.

"It's not just me, it's about those who are living with HIV, who wants to be a pilot. I want to get out The Message that you can do.

"My message to anyone living with HIV to overcome discrimination, and you can win. "

the Life Expectancy for people diagnosed with HIV is now close to the population average due to advances in antiretroviral therapy that reduces the ability of The Virus attacks The Body 's own immune system.

James says that living with HIV today is not the same as it was in the 1980s and 1990s.

"HIV should be no obstacle for anybody, what are your dreams and what you want to be," he said.

Dr Ewan Hutchison, head of the medical examination at the CAA, said: "We are very pleased to see, James started his career, after he completed his professional pilot training. He has worked hard to raise awareness about the challenges facing aspiring pilots living with HIV.

"For A Number of years, we have promoted changes at the international level have to affect the regulations applicable to pilots with certain medical conditions, including HIV. "

He said that the CAA medical expertise to support the European aviation safety Agency (EASA) published a review of recent research in relation to HIV and their results, within the next few months.

Dr. Hutchison added: "We expect that this may be life in the removal of some restrictions on the medical certificates of commercial pilot, with HIV. "

Source of news: bbc.com