Ethan Larson, a 20-year-old Calgary pilot who beat leukemia after a grueling year of treatment, is still unable to return to the skies because of delays at Transport Canada’s Aviation Medical Review Board.
Larson was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in April 2024, just a week after completing his commercial flight training. What followed was four rounds of chemotherapy, 12 radiation treatments, and a successful stem cell transplant. By late 2024, doctors declared him cancer-free, and he applied to have his aviation medical certificate reinstated.
Eight months later, despite providing full medical documentation proving his fitness to fly, his case remains unresolved. “Transport Canada hasn’t been able to give me an exact timeline,” Larson said. “They told me if I keep contacting them, it could delay the process even more.”
The delays come at a time when Canada is facing a serious pilot shortage. Airlines have been struggling to fill cockpits, with half of Canada’s 35,000 pilots over the age of 40 and hundreds retiring each year. “I had companies calling me, asking when I could come back,” Larson said. “I just had to keep telling them I’m stuck on the ground. It’s discouraging.”
Transport Canada said it cannot comment on individual cases but defended its lengthy reviews for applicants with serious medical histories, stressing that aviation safety remains the top priority. Complex files, it noted, require panels of specialists and can extend timelines.
The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), which represents 7,000 Canadian pilots, argues that outdated systems, staffing shortages, and heavy caseloads are leaving healthy pilots stranded. Out of 60,000 applications a year, about 25 per cent are classified as complex, further slowing the process. ALPA President Tim Perry has called for more federal funding to eliminate backlogs and get pilots back to work.
For Larson, every day on the ground feels like a missed opportunity. “Every single day in the hospital, my goal was to get back flying. That’s all I’ve thought about.”
His story has drawn national attention, with country music star George Canyon—himself a pilot living with type 1 diabetes—praising Larson’s perseverance. “The fortitude Ethan showed in fighting leukemia is beyond anything I could muster,” Canyon said. “He’s a trailblazer for young pilots who might face similar battles. His case proves why timely reviews are so important.”
As airlines scramble to rebuild their ranks and fill critical gaps, Larson remains a symbol of both the passion and the frustration faced by aspiring pilots caught in bureaucratic delays.