Trans pilot question

T

Trans pilot

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Hello

A friend of mine recommended this site to me, I am a female trans person, I have always dreamed of becoming a private pilot, maybe even as a second career.

Should I expect any problems applying for a 3rd or higher class medical?


Thanks,
Liz
 
Depends on your medical history. Being trans in and of itself probably won't have anything to do with it. It's those pesky little historical things that rise up and cause problems for more and more people. Drugs to treat depression, substance abuse, ADHD diagnosis, past DUIs, and so on. Read on in this forum for some examples. And as always, I would recommend a consultation with an AME (aviation medical examiner) to go over the questions asked on the medical application and how you will respond to them (truthfully of course), and don't EVER apply for a medical certificate without knowing for absolute certain that you'll get it issued. If you get denied, it's pretty much the end of the road, in many cases permanently... and you can get denied for all kinds of things that seem to surprise a lot of people.
 
Hi, Liz, and welcome!

First of all, it *is* a very good idea to do a little research before applying for a medical! In fact, depending on how complicated your medical situation is -- if you have any doubts at all about whether the process will go smooth or not -- consider meeting with a AME (Aviation Medical Examiner) for a "consult", just to chat -- informally, without submitting any paperwork to the FAA. That person can help make sure all your ducks are in a row *before* clicking "Submit" on any forms.

Being trans will not concern the FAA. They can be persnickety about name changes -- they want your name (and gender) to be identical across your pilot's license and your medical, for instance.

Medically speaking, the FAA cares the most about:
1) Cardiac stuff -- they don't want you having a heart attack in the air
2) Neurological stuff -- they don't want you having a seizure in the air
3) Mental health stuff, like autism/ADHD/depression/anxiety
3) Drug and alcohol stuff, DUI's and other things that might indicate abuse.
If you do a little searching through the threads here in the "Medical topics" forum, you'll see that when people get tripped it's by one of these four gotchas. Like an SSRI that they got prescribed once, or a diagnosis of "anxiety" from the past.

All this being said, there is also a flying option that does not require a medical certificate at all: it's called "Sport Pilot". It allows you to fly FUN little two-seat planes during the daytime. Some find it a way to "get started" in aviation, while others just have fun with it and never look back. :)

Edit: yeah, same as what DaleB said.
 
Pinging Doctor’s Lou and Bruce for their input. @lbfjrmd @bbchien

I think there was a similar thread within the last year. Memory is a bit sketchy but I think a list of documentation to acquire was part of the discussion.
 
Trans pilot said:
I have always dreamed of becoming a private pilot, maybe even as a second career.
Click to expand...

Reading your whole post, as apparently no one else has, you can't be a private pilot as career. First or second.

So...if career pilot is in your horizon you need to get a Second Class or First Class medical. The medications will likely be the most important obstacle. You'll have to list EVERY medication and the time period you were using. The simple thing for you is to check the "no-no list". The hard part is that the no-no list is incomplete and you could get tripped up.

Do as aggiemike88 suggested and talk to one of them doc types.

Good luck, and even if career flying isn't gonna happen, fly anyway. It's fun!
 
I know of one private pilot and one commercial (not airline) pilot who are female and used to not be, so obviously it is possible, though I don't know how many hoops there are to jump through, if any.
 
Lindberg said:
You only have to list medications you're currently taking.
Click to expand...

Really? What about the countless threads about past medications and diagnoses that we read? Hmm... "have you ever" seems to be part of the questions on those pesky medical applications.

Full disclosure: I'm not a medical professional
 
I know two Trans pilots. One received her PPL a few years after GRS. The other already had her PPL.

From what I recall discussing with Liann and Wendy there were only two general classes of issues that affected them.
1. Wendy picked an AME that for the consult only tried to tell her Trans was disqualifying and notify the FAA. So be careful about the AME you talk too.
2. FAA required mental health counseling within X years of the GRS. From what I recall Liann said,it was a lower barrier than the doctors required to get GRS to begin with. The FAA focus was on depression which shows up in some percentage of cases.

Good luck and welcome to the community.

Oh, as someone suggested you could start with LSA for a bit to get the bug.


Tim

Sent from my HD1907 using Tapatalk
 
Simple data point, knew a transgender woman at American Eagle, albeit 20 yrs ago, so 121 is possible unless something changed.
 
Ravioli said:
Really? What about the countless threads about past medications and diagnoses that we read? Hmm... "have you ever" seems to be part of the questions on those pesky medical applications.
Click to expand...

The MedXPress form has very different wordings for medications and diagnoses. Item 17a asks "Do you currently use any medication (prescription or nonprescription)?" and then instructs you to list them. In contrast, item 18 asks "Have you ever in your life been diagnosed with, had, or do you presently have any of the following?" and then lists all of the categories we know and love.

So no, you don't have to list medications you don't presently take. But the "diagnosis" part gets people because, if 10 years ago you took an antidepressant, it's likely because you were diagnosed with depression, which is an "ever in your life" question. And prescription records are relatively persistent, so that prevents a barrier to people trying to "forget" old diagnoses -- if anything causes the FAA to look closer, they'll say, "you were prescribed an SSRI ten years ago but never in your life had a diagnosed mental health disorder? Explain that to us with 30 years of medical records," which is a path nobody wants to go down.
 
Ravioli said:
Really? What about the countless threads about past medications and diagnoses that we read? Hmm... "have you ever" seems to be part of the questions on those pesky medical applications.

Full disclosure: I'm not a medical professional
Click to expand...
Many of the questions and answers are by people who didn't read the form carefully. If there's a past diagnoses you have to report, the AME might or might not ask you about treatment and medication. But there's no question on the form about past medications.
 
Trans pilot said:
A friend of mine recommended this site to me, I am a female trans person, I have always dreamed of becoming a private pilot, maybe even as a second career.

Should I expect any problems applying for a 3rd or higher class medical?
Click to expand...
There are a good number of transgender airline pilots. I don't know the details of what was required for their first class medicals but it is certainly doable.

Here's a Ted Talk by a transgender B747 Captain with whom I used to work. I knew her before she transitioned. Send me a PM with your contact information and I'll forward it to Kelly. I'm sure she's be happy to talk to you.

 
How does the FAA address the much higher suicide rate among transgender individuals? That seems to be a particular area of concern for the agency lately.
 
Lindberg said:
How does the FAA address the much higher suicide rate among transgender individuals? That seems to be a particular area of concern for the agency lately.
Click to expand...
Pretty much the same way that they address the possibly of suicide for anyone: by considering their mental health history. Just because your particular demographic is statistically more predisposed to any medical condition doesn't change how they evaluate a specific application.
 
Lindberg said:
How does the FAA address the much higher suicide rate among transgender individuals? That seems to be a particular area of concern for the agency lately.
Click to expand...
They don't seem to think it is relevant for veterinarians, who have a suicide rate about 3.5 times that of the general population.
 
AggieMike88 said:
Pinging Doctor’s Lou and Bruce for their input. @lbfjrmd @bbchien

I think there was a similar thread within the last year. Memory is a bit sketchy but I think a list of documentation to acquire was part of the discussion.
Click to expand...
I wonder if that sketchy memory thing could be a cause for self-grounding?
 
Brad Z said:
Pretty much the same way that they address the possibly of suicide for anyone: by considering their mental health history. Just because your particular demographic is statistically more predisposed to any medical condition doesn't change how they evaluate a specific application.
Click to expand...
Certain diagnoses require HIMS
JOhnH said:
They don't seem to think it is relevant for veterinarians, who have a suicide rate about 3.5 times that of the general population.
Click to expand...
Maybe they should. I don't know how it relates to vets, but in one study, 82% of transgender adults reported suicidal ideation, almost 50% of them in the prior year. 12 times higher than the general population. 40% reported having attempting suicide. If I report a condition to my AME that makes me 12 times more likely to commit suicide, what should he say?
 
Lindberg said:
Certain diagnoses require HIMS

Maybe they should. I don't know how it relates to vets, but in one study, 82% of transgender adults reported suicidal ideation, almost 50% of them in the prior year. 12 times higher than the general population. 40% reported having attempting suicide. If I report a condition to my AME that makes me 12 times more likely to commit suicide, what should he say?
Click to expand...

Every study I have seen with such numbers are for untreated Trans individuals; most often individuals who are constrained by current social situation from recognizing their identity. From what I have previously read, those who have come to terms with their identity and left behind those who forced them to behave otherwise, do not have such depression or other issues.

In any case, we have gone way beyond the Ops question. And this rampant speculation and potential culture warfare should end.

Tim
 
tspear said:
Every study I have seen with such numbers are for untreated Trans individuals; most often individuals who are constrained by current social situation from recognizing their identity. From what I have previously read, those who have come to terms with their identity and left behind those who forced them to behave otherwise, do not have such depression or other issues.

In any case, we have gone way beyond the Ops question. And this rampant speculation and potential culture warfare should end.

Tim
Click to expand...

Thank you all for your time, not sure if I am more or less confused now.

LSA was a idea brought up to me, not what I envisioned but better than nothing, my understanding is if I’m denied a medical I can’t even go that route.
Is there an official email address or person I could send the question to in the FAA, before I make a formal application for my medical?


Thank you all so much
Liz
 
Trans pilot said:
Thank you all for your time, not sure if I am more or less confused now.

LSA was a idea brought up to me, not what I envisioned but better than nothing, my understanding is if I’m denied a medical I can’t even go that route.
Is there an official email address or person I could send the question to in the FAA, before I make a formal application for my medical?


Thank you all so much
Liz
Click to expand...
There best course of action would be to find a good AME in your area who is willing to do a consult before an official exam. You can discuss with him whether there might be additional hoops to jump through and any potential barriers to success. By the time you're in a position to get the FAA's official decision, it will be too late to change your mind.
 
As stated, there are trans pilots holding 1st class medicals. We have several at my airline. The only real issue will be, as stated, any mental health diagnosis in your past. I would suggest trying to find a contact that has gone through the process for guidance.
 
Liz,

As others have said, start with an AME consult. I would suggest start with an AME recommended by local pilots. You could ask for a recommendation her or from a local flight school.

Based on your stated goals, the only reason to consider LSA is to get your feet wet so to speak, and be sure if you have complicated medical requiments from the FAA that you know it is worth it.

Good luck,

Tim

Sent from my HD1907 using Tapatalk
 
av8npa said:
Might shed some light...or confusion:

https://www.faa.gov/about/office_or...me/guide/app_process/exam_tech/item48/amd/gd/
Click to expand...

That’s great!
I’ll get my LSA first and wait out a couple years before my medical, hours should count towards my private and my medical should issue one the spot after a couple years based on that table, feels like a weight was lifted!

My friend from high school, who warned me about not starting a medical yet, she had ADHD when she was little and I remember all the problems she had when she decided to go to a flight college, I thought I’d have it much worse.

Thanks again everyone, glad I found this site
 
Lindberg said:
Certain diagnoses require HIMS

Maybe they should. I don't know how it relates to vets, but in one study, 82% of transgender adults reported suicidal ideation, almost 50% of them in the prior year. 12 times higher than the general population. 40% reported having attempting suicide. If I report a condition to my AME that makes me 12 times more likely to commit suicide, what should he say?
Click to expand...

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tspear said:
Every study I have seen with such numbers are for untreated Trans individuals; most often individuals who are constrained by current social situation from recognizing their identity. From what I have previously read, those who have come to terms with their identity and left behind those who forced them to behave otherwise, do not have such depression or other issues.

In any case, we have gone way beyond the Ops question. And this rampant speculation and potential culture warfare should end.

Tim
Click to expand...

That was the theory behind surgical treatment. It didn't work out that way. While suicidal ideation and attempts in most studies have gone down, the incidence is still much higher than in the background population. There is no clear 'this causes that' relationship between the psychological issue of gender dysphoria and the orbit of depression/suicidality.
Gender is more than the sum of ones body parts, it is difficult to understand why we would expect for the dysphoria to go away, just because we changed the hardware.

As to the OPs question: Get in contact with pilots who share your history, get in contact with an AME who has dealt with it in a supportive manner and go for an initial consult (without ever filling out an MedXpress form). Be honest, lay out everything in your history, meds, hospitalizations etc. Get his/her opinion on whether you can obtain a medical based on your specific history. If the answer is no, look into other options like LSAs, basicmed and motorgliders.
 
Last edited:
OP - Of all the advice you've received here, the two best bits are:

1. DO NOT submit a MedXpress form until after you've gotten advice from an expert on how to proceed.
2. Hire an expert like Dr. Bruce Chien or Dr. Lou Fowler (both active here) and have them walk you through the process step-by-step. Follow their advice to the letter.

Good luck!
 
I know this is an old thread but I somehow came across it and wanted to add this to it:

In 2020, the US Supreme Court with a 6-3 vote abolished all legal arguments that it is permissible to discriminate against transgender persons. Much of society seems to have not fully grasped the magnitude of this landmark ruling yet. Boystock v. Clayton County, 140 S. Ct. 1731 (2020), holds that the 1964 Civil Rights Act protects transgender status, because transgender discrimination is indeed a form of gender discrimination (i.e., "sex" as used in the Act).

This is vitally important to know. When SCOTUS issues a ruling, it takes a bit of time for the effects to seep down into the rest of society. I will assume that FAA probably did not have a per se discriminatory policy treating transgender pilot applicants differently than other people. But to the extent it ever did, it would be violating federal law by continuing any such policy. A transgender pilot must be treated equally with any other pilot, with the same level of scrutiny of valid medical and psychological issues as anyone else has. We would all like to think that this was the FAA standard in the first place, but now neither it nor any other government institution or corporate entity has a choice. It's the law.
 
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