CFI Brief: Can you be a pilot with Diabetes?

Today we are featuring a guest editorial column by  

In this article we will explore whether or not you can become a pilot if you have diabetes. We will look at piloting for a commercial airline with diabetes and piloting for a private company with diabetes. We will also look at other jobs centered on aviation, such as being a flight instructor, or flying gliders and other small aircraft.

We will look at whether or not you can pilot an aircraft if you have Type 1Type 2, or pre-diabetes. We will look at whether or not it matters if you are taking insulin, other injections for diabetes, oral medications, or are diet and exercise controlled.

We have already been looking at some promising careers that we can have with diabetes that is well-controlled.

We have looked at being a long-distance truck driver, an EMS/Paramedic, a Firefighter, an air traffic controller, and a law enforcement officer. We have looked at whether or not you can be in the military with diabetes. Now we take on the most difficult career to date.

*Becoming a commercial airline pilot with diabetes requiring insulin is prohibited by a blanket ban in the United States. It is one of 15 conditions that can disqualify you when you go for your medical certificate with the FAA.

So what’s up? Let’s look…

You can read the article in it’s entirety by clicking on the image below.

Pilot Diabetes

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