HRC Blog

New FAA Procedures End Unfair Burdens on Transgender Pilots

August 13, 2012 by Robin Maril, Legislative Counsel, Administrative Advocacy

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has released new certification procedures that eliminate burdensome, medically-unjustified psychological testing for transgender pilots. The FAA has uniform medical and psychological requirements for all pilots, but until this change, many transgender pilots were singled out to undergo an expensive, unnecessary battery of psychological tests to which other pilots were not subject. These requirements kept many transgender pilots from working, and some even lost their jobs.

The recent changes put an end to these additional requirements, ensuring transgender pilots are treated like their peers. The revised medical certification for transgender pilots now requires only submitting current clinical records together with an evaluation from a psychiatrist or psychologist, as well as a report on any surgery (if applicable). You can read the revised requirements on FAA’s website.

HRC applauds FAA for making this change, as well as our colleagues at the National Center for Transgender Equality and Representatives Barney Frank and Mike Honda for their advocacy with the agency on behalf of transgender pilots.