Airliner pilot and Asthma
 

Dear pilots, I have been dreaming about becoming an airliner pilot after school (I'm 16 now), I think about it every day and do everything to become one, I chose all available physics, mathematics,English and Finnish courses available here at my high school in Finland, but there has been one thing in my mind for a long time, and would like to hear your opinion. Is it possible to become an airliner pilot for any airline, if one has Asthma? I got asthma you see, and even though I have had significantly less problems with it (when I was 6-10 years old I had problems almost every day), a few times every year I get some small breathing problems which will cure itself after a few minutes, and I carry a medicine for it in my pocket at all times (one might never know....). Is this considered the same kind of Asthma? I mean, a real person with Asthma has severe problems regularly which I don't, so.. Could anyone please provide some answers to this? This is very important for me, so I would really appreciate it! Thank you, Harry Z (Itäkeskus upper secondary school)

You have two potential hurdles...

1. You will need a pilot medical certificate from the country where your airline is based.

2. Some airlines have their own additional medical standards, and even do their own medical exams. This is common in Europe and Asia, less so in the US.

No one here can really answer your question...it depends on where you plan to fly, what their rules are, and the severity of the condition. Also, asthma may improve as you get older.

I suspect in most places, the need to carry an inhaler might disqualify you from airline flying. The US is probably more lenient than most other places, and many US airlines do not require a medical exam other than the one the government (FAA) does. So if you can get an unrestricted US FAA first class medical, you could have an airline career, although you might not be able to get hired at all US airlines.

When you get old enough to need to make school/career decisions you should probably find a private aviation medical consultant (in the country you wish to fly in) and get some professional advice. Do this the BEFORE you take any government medical exam.

This website might have more european info: pprune.org

Good Luck

Answer to your question, Harry: Yes, it's possible.

I've got a diagnosis myself. Advair 50/250 keeps me symptom-free. There are other drug options as well. First get to a doctor and get treated. If the symptoms disappear it's a non-issue here in the US - Advair is FAA approved.

PPrune is indeed more European oriented (there's a Nordic forum, too), but it's still mostly a bunch of pilots. You need to talk to a doctor - and that doc may know (or even be) an aviation medical examiner in your country.

Good advice, but not as easy to keep things under wraps where you are, I suspect ...

It is good that your symptoms have mitigated with age, but it doesn't sound like things are really under control. Get treated first, then figure out where you stand.

Best of luck to you! :):)

Well, I'll try to be a little more clear about my situation. I was diaggnosed with Asthma when I was like 1 year old (in 1992, I'm 17 now). My Asthma has been less "severe" every year. I haven't had an Asthma "attack" in more than 5 years. Sometimes (like 1-2 times a month) I experience some shortness of breath (but this is mainly during the cold winter time like now, when it is -20 degrees celcius during daytime here in Finland, but it could als happen during the summer, though less common). I never have Asthma attacks, and I could run miles without having shortness of breath (but it might be possible), I like to run and my hobbies include jogging). But I know I still have Asthma, because I carry my medicines at all times and like I said, I might have some shortness of breathe a few times a month/year. Do I still have a chance to become a pilot? I thank you guys for the responses I already got for you, I really appreciate it. DFF