Title: Can You Be A Pilot With Diabetes?
Headings: Can You Be A Pilot With Diabetes?
Can You Be A Pilot With Diabetes?
Type 1 or Type 2 insulin requiring diabetes
For more detailed articles about diabetes management read the following:
So what will the FAA let me pilot with insulin requiring diabetes?
Let’s break down the medical certificates below:
Class 1 privileges for pilots
Class 2 privileges for pilots
Class 3 privileges for pilots
The bad news, and the good news for insulin requiring diabetes
More good news- Type 2 not requiring insulin
Excellent news- diet and exercise controlled diabetes and pre-diabetes
Process for those not taking insulin to obtain medical clearance (Class 2 or Class 3)
A current physician report, including:
The pilot with diabetes that does not take insulin must also show that:
American Diabetes Association’s stance
What happens when commercial pilots get diagnosed with diabetes?
Now that you have your medical, what do you have to do while in the air?
Acceptable diabetes medications to pilot with diabetes
Safety vs. discrimination
US red tape – is it longer than the UK’s and Canada’s red tape?
Canadian pilots taking insulin can fly = hope
The United Kingdom, too? (Blimey!! Noo jist haud on!)
What can I do in aviation in the US if I can’t fly commercially on insulin?
Getting involved
Lack of pilots to interview with diabetes
Further reading:
There has to be some!!
Finally, some pilot interviews surfaced…..
Douglas Cairns of Flying with Diabetes
Jason Harmon of Flying with Diabetes
Calling all pilots with diabetes
Can I pilot a helicopter with diabetes?
References
About Elisabeth Almekinder RN, BA, CDE

Content: ( Actually, a sport pilot does not require a medical certificate; just a valid driver’s license and no knowledge of a medical deficiency that would make the pilot unable to safely operate the aircraft. ~Gary Crump, AOPA)
The A1C guideline is a little higher, at less than 9 percent. This is because the FAA would rather that you have blood sugars that are a little high instead of a low blood sugar for safety reasons. The special issuance offers full private pilot privileges. You will be able to fly within US borders. Each year, you will be required to have your check-ups every three months and to submit the reports each year to the FAA. ( This is factually correct, but the emphasis should be on an A1c that is well below the maximum allowed for aeromedical certification purposes. The FAA (and the treating physician, probably) would prefer to see control in the 7.0-7.5% range. The reason for allowing it to be as high as 9.0% is correct as stated.