Transgender Pilot Fights To Get Privileges Back

A transgender commercial pilot in South Africa is fighting to get back on the flight deck after his medical was pulled without detailed explanation from the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACCA). In fact, SACAA Communications Officer Marie Bray seems to have confused sexual orientation with gender identity in communications with South African media when she told mambaonline that medical reviews don't consider sexual orientation in their deliberations. "Them not knowing the difference between gender identity and sexual orientation is in itself quite problematic," Smit, who's been flying charter, cargo and medevac flights professionally since 2015, told the publication.

Smit started taking testosterone for gender affirmation therapy in 2017 after being told by authorities it wouldn't affect his medical, and for six years it didn't. When he went for a medical in January of 2023, it was denied "based on the complete review of the available medical evidence." Smit said he's been told by authorities that there are concerns about the potential "mood instability" associated with hormone therapy, but he's been on testosterone for six years and says it shouldn't be a factor.

The publication says that other countries do require mental health assessments for those who have been on hormone therapy for five years or less. Smit underwent psychological testing at his own expense and passed with flying colors, but SACCA said it found "inconsistencies" in those assessments without specifying what they were. Smit said he thinks transphobia is behind it all and after nine months on the ground, he's determined to get his flying privileges back for himself and for other transgender pilots. "I am not the first person this has happened to but I will be the last," he said.