Can a diabetic get a private pilot’s license?

O.K…I am a private pilot and a diabetic, type two using oral mediaction for control.

You must do the following.

1) Pass your normal class three medical exam.

2) Using the latest FAR guidelines create a letter fro your physician to sign that exactly answers the concerns of the FAA.
a) You are in good control.
b) You have no serious side effects of symtpoms.
c) you have documented your medications, dosage and frequency.
d) Your ACL within the last 60 days, 7.0 or less is best.

What to expect.

I can only speak to oral medication control.

1) The chief flight surgeon in Oklahoma FAA will ask you to certify to the above every six months. Once satisifed, he will issue a provisional approval for your class three medical for this six month tme period.They really want a ACL of 7.0 or less.

Now for insulin dependent diabetics.

If you can document adequate control they will let you fly on a provisional medical class three certificate but will require you to test your blood sugar levels before flight, in flight and after landing and keep a journal of results.

Bottomline – it will be entirely up to the discretion of the flight surgeon whether or not he will issue a class three mdical certificate. If you want a class two or class one you need to reach out to the flight surgeon in Oklahoma city, FAA regional center and have a cndid discussion on whether or not this is possible. If it is possible an airline may not ever hire you regardless.

Flying as a diabetic is expensive, and requires a lot of effort to keep on top of your medical certificate…but not impossible.