Type One Diabeties and Flying.

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Samuroot1987

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Samuroot2801
Hello, I am a Type 1 diabetic. I dont care that people know that. its just a fact of my life. got it when i was 11 3/4's or so. I'm not a lot older that that now (Minimum age for C.A.P) and want to presue flying. Ive allways loved to fly and have flewn (Of course not with me in the piolts seat) atlease 20 times, Alone. (was like 6-7-8 then) Is this something you guys/gals think i can still do? Ive had it for 8 or so months and am doing well with the curse.

Thank you for your advice and for reading this post.

Samuroot1987
 
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Welcome to PoA!!

Obtaining your third class medical certificate with type 1 diabetes is totally possible. When you first apply, the letter you get says you're "denied" under the normal issuance rules, but that per the FAR's, you are going to be under a "Special Issuance". This does permit you to train and fly. But you must comply with the additional specifications and reporting to demonstrate that you are doing what's needed to keep your condition in the green arc and document that you are.

Dr. Bruce will be along with more specific details of where you need to be at before you go into the exam, and what you need to bring with you.

Do and get those items, and then make sure you hook up with an AME who is a real airman's advocate versus a paper pusher. The best are ones who are pilots themselves, have inside contacts amongst the senior reviewers (and better) at FAA Medical, and are not afraid of calling these contacts to expedite your case and get your certificate before you leave the office.

Again, Welcome to PoA!!!
 
AggieMike88 said:
Welcome to PoA!!

Obtaining your third class medical certificate with type 1 diabetes is totally possible. When you first apply, the letter you get says you're "denied" under the normal issuance rules, but that per the FAR's, you are going to be under a "Special Issuance". This does permit you to train and fly. But you must comply with the additional specifications and reporting to demonstrate that you are doing what's needed to keep your condition in the green arc and document that you are.

Dr. Bruce will be along with more specific details of where you need to be at before you go into the exam, and what you need to bring with you.

Do and get those items, and then make sure you hook up with an AME who is a real airman's advocate versus a paper pusher. The best are ones who are pilots themselves, have inside contacts amongst the senior reviewers (and better) at FAA Medical, and are not afraid of calling these contacts to expedite your case and get your certificate before you leave the office.

Again, Welcome to PoA!!!
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Thank you for the warm welcome. I have not taken any lessons yet, Just thinking about C.A.P for now. The only thing that i think i have going for me (not for long though) is the Kingsly Feild A.F base. The whole reason i got interested in flying was beacause of (wait for it it may sound stupid) War Thunder. WWII Game. :) Say what you will but its what got me interested in this.
 
Others will comment about what's needed to join a CAP squadron, but I don't believe having Type 1 DM will be a barrier. Just be honest with them that you have it, and then do what's needed to maintain control of your blood sugar.

As a youngling, gaining the discipline that CAP or ROTC will teach you can serve you well for a long time. I know of a local 13 yo who got involved this last year and is doing well both in the squadron and with life and school outside of the squadron.

Another program to check out is EAA's Young Eagles (http://www.youngeagles.org/). This is a program that might give you lots of opportunity to fly in the right seat and gain experience. Just ignore the comments about gladiator movies (reference to Capt. Clarence Oveur).
 
Hmm, thaw was odd. I was just told that my post was needing to be reviewed. It was last month or so. But i gave the guy the reason i couldent make it.
Oh well, herees what the cap i talked to said.

Hello ***,

To join the CAP, it's suggested that you visit a couple of meetings to see if it's something
that your interested in. Your medical situation should not be a deterrent to your membership.
Squadrons in different cities have different meetings times. The ****** Squadron meets
on Tuesdays at 6:30PM
You're welcome to join us tomorrow evening ( or any Tuesday ) for our weekly meeting.
The best time to arrive would be around 6:00 to 6:15PM. Someone will show you
around the facility and you can get an idea what the meetings look like.
Ask for me or one of the others mentioned below.
Our hangar is at the far North end of the road that runs along the airport
business operations North of the terminal and it has a Civil Air Patrol sign on it.
Hope to see you there.

*****
 
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Samuroot1987 said:
Hmm, thaw was odd. I was just told that my post was needing to be reviewed.
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If you're referring to something your contributing to here on PoA, there are a few controls in put into place by those who run the board to keep bots and spammers to a minimum. Downside is good folk like you must also comply until you get your post count up a bit more and we get to know you as one of the good guys.

If you go to one of the CAP gatherings, let us know what you encountered and what you thought of it.
 
AggieMike88 said:
If you're referring to something your contributing to here on PoA, there are a few controls in put into place by those who run the board to keep bots and spammers to a minimum. Downside is good folk like you must also comply until you get your post count up a bit more and we get to know you as one of the good guys.

If you go to one of the CAP gatherings, let us know what you encountered and what you thought of it.
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Might be a while. 15th is moving day.
 
Let us know where you're moving to. We have lots of good members all over that might be willing to help.
 
Samuroot1987 said:
Um....... Not going to say EXACTALLY where but in the Merdford Oregon Area.
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I was in Medford for a week, a couple of months ago. I made the trip in my Cherokee from Norcal. It is a controlled airport, but not too busy. I took someone I was working with up for a flight. It is a very scenic area. You should enjoy it.
 
PacNW is a nice area... lived there for a few years and really enjoyed the scenery over the flat lands of D/FW.

One of my favorite memories was a trip via car through central Oregon where it was forest.... forest... more forest... LAVA FIELD. I had no clue that abrupt change was just around the bend. Was fun to stop for a while and check it out.

Once you start your primary training, you're going to be flying over some pretty territory.
 
Requirements for class 3 IDDM issuance:

!1)No episodes of hypoglycemia in the past year.
(2)No more than one episode in the past 5 years.
(3)Two HbA1cs more than 90 days apart, the latter in the past 30 days prior to application.
(4)Letter from Doc confirming #1 and #2 above, noting you are educated and make good decisions as to your dosing. Letter must make specific mention of your diet (you ARE observing diet limitations, yes?) and medication dosages. That you have no known nephropathy, neuropathy, or CV disease.
(5)Letter from a CFI testifying that you have been observed to be able to stay in control of an a/c while testing your blood sugar.
(6)Dilated ocular exam (ophthalmologist, yes, an MD not an optometrist) testifying to the lack of diabetic retinopathy.

EVERYTHING has to be grouped into the 90 days before the flight physical.
 
bbchien said:
Requirements for class 3 IDDM issuance:

!1)No episodes of hypoglycemia in the past year.
(2)No more than one episode in the past 5 years.
(3)Two HbA1cs more than 90 days apart, the latter in the past 30 days prior to application.
(4)Letter from Doc confirming #1 and #2 above, noting you are educated and make good decisions as to your dosing. Letter must make specific mention of your diet (you ARE observing diet limitations, yes?) and medication dosages. That you have no known nephropathy, neuropathy, or CV disease.
(5)Letter from a CFI testifying that you have been observed to be able to stay in control of an a/c while testing your blood sugar.
(6)Dilated ocular exam (ophthalmologist, yes, an MD not an optometrist) testifying to the lack of diabetic retinopathy.

EVERYTHING has to be grouped into the 90 days before the flight physical.
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So, No hospitalised low/highs. A1c's, Able to control the plane, and.... whatever 6 is. I have no clue.
 
Samuroot1987 said:
whatever 6 is. I have no clue.
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Optometrist or ophthalmologist visit. A drop of medicine is applied to the eye causes the pupil to dilate, permitting them to do a thorough inspection of the retina (the structure at the rear of your eye that converts light to electrical signals that you brain uses).

Here is an explanation from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diabetic_retinopathy
 
AggieMike88 said:
Optometrist or ophthalmologist visit. A drop of medicine is applied to the eye causes the pupil to dilate, permitting them to do a thorough inspection of the retina (the structure at the rear of your eye that converts light to electrical signals that you brain uses).

Here is an explanation from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diabetic_retinopathy
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1st pic. Scarred for life :p jk. so basically an eye exam.
 
bbchien said:
.....it has to be mild enough that YOU decided to have the 10 gms of sugar or OJ or whatever, but if someone else has to give it to you, that's no dice.
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:) thats what it has allways been. Just have something. and then with in a few im better.
 
AggieMike88 said:
Optometrist or ophthalmologist visit. A drop of medicine is applied to the eye causes the pupil to dilate, permitting them to do a thorough inspection of the retina (the structure at the rear of your eye that converts light to electrical signals that you brain uses).

Here is an explanation from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diabetic_retinopathy
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Note that in this situation, it must be an ophthalmologist, not optometrist and they must note the things that Dr. Bruce mentioned specifically. It's best for the OP to take Bruce's post with him when he goes to the doctors. They must follow his advice to the letter.
 
Sam, the one thing you will find around PoA is that Dr. Bruce is THE man for special issuance medicals. Listen to what he says, follow it to the letter, and if it's possible to obtain a medical you will get it.
 
Sam, if you search the forums here, you'll find several posts about this topic. There are a number of airmen, including myself, who hold a third class medical with a history of type 1 DM.

It is completely achievable, given good control, strong motivation, and the willingness to jump through the proper hoops.

Once you get all your ducks lined up, I would strongly recommend hiring Dr. Chien, and if at all possible, a trip to Peoria...when, and only when, he is confident you are certifiable.

Good luck...
 
bbchien said:
(6)Dilated ocular exam (ophthalmologist, yes, an MD not an optometrist) testifying to the lack of diabetic retinopathy.
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I wonder why it can't be an optometrist. They are fully trained in doing a complete eye exam. They are not permitted to treat most problems but if they can't detect diabetic retinopathy they should find another line of work. Some ophthalmologists are more interested in lucrative procedures and have little interest in performing routine diabetic eye exams.
 
Gary F said:
I wonder why it can't be an optometrist. They are fully trained in doing a complete eye exam. They are not permitted to treat most problems but if they can't detect diabetic retinopathy they should find another line of work. Some ophthalmologists are more interested in lucrative procedures and have little interest in performing routine diabetic eye exams.
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Mine is not to question why....just to get the airman through the course....
 
If you need to talk with someone that can discuss all these issues with you (joining CAP, getting your medical, flight training) PM me and I'll get you in touch with my brother-in-law. He is a Col in CAP, a pilot and aircraft owner, and a doctor/AME. I've had this same discussion with him a number of times as my son is also type 1 diagnosed when he was 8. He knows the right people at FAA to push this through as he participates on many of their committees. It is doable. Alas, my son now 18, shows little interest in learning to fly despite my best efforts to get him hooked. He does enjoy flying in our Mooney, specially when I take him and his friends somewhere they want to go, but has yet to take any flight lessons despite my offer to pay for his PP, and my brother-in-laws assurance that he can take care of the medical.


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Perezhr said:
If you need to talk with someone that can discuss all these issues with you (joining CAP, getting your medical, flight training) PM me and I'll get you in touch with my brother-in-law. He is a Col in CAP, a pilot and aircraft owner, and a doctor/AME. I've had this same discussion with him a number of times as my son is also type 1 diagnosed when he was 8. He knows the right people at FAA to push this through as he participates on many of their committees. It is doable. Alas, my son now 18, shows little interest in learning to fly despite my best efforts to get him hooked. He does enjoy flying in our Mooney, specially when I take him and his friends somewhere they want to go, but has yet to take any flight lessons despite my offer to pay for his PP, and my brother-in-laws assurance that he can take care of the medical.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
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:p Not to be rude, but that kid is crazy. :)
 
bbchien said:
Maybe. More commonly it's a daddy-son issue. :(
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true. Sad, but true. When/if i learn to fly i might just fly up to PDX to see MY dad. Probabally less than getting a plane ticket, And it would probabally be more fun/giving me something to do other than just play on my DS or something like that.
 
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