Lobbying for Flying With Insulin-Treated Diabetes RAISING DIABETES AWARENESS
Where we are now Where we want to go! RAISING DIABETES AWARENESS
Pilots With Diabetes Formation Flight September 2012 EASA Some challenges for pilots with diabetes..
New UK CAA Policy August 12 The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) introduced commercial flying for pilots with insulin treated diabetes Also full private flying privileges Only country worldwide to offer both commercial & private flying
Agenda Background to flying with diabetes Pilots With Diabetes Group Engaging with CAA 2007-2012 EASA Continuing campaign.where we want to go
RAISING DIABETES AWARENESS
BARONESS OVER CORNFIELDS, IOWA RAISING DIABETES AWARENESS
Diabetes World Flight 26,300 nautical miles, 22 countries 63 flights; 187 flying hours RAISING DIABETES AWARENESS
Restrictions - Only 5 countries allow flying with insulindependent diabetes (USA, UK, Canada, Australia & Israel) - Until recently only Canada allowed commercial flying; - UK also since 2012. RAISING DIABETES AWARENESS
DIABETES FLIGHT 50
Whats my next chapter? Around Britain s Coastline 2011 3500 km - new speed record
Diabetes Formation Flight USA 2012
Diabetes Formation Flight USA July 2013
UK Diabetes Formation Flight September 2012
Pilots With Diabetes Formation Flight September 2012 EASA Some challenges for pilots with diabetes..
Diabetes need not limit the scope of people s dreams and ambitions RAISING DIABETES AWARENESS
Individual assessment based on equal opportunity RAISING DIABETES AWARENESS
What are the Medical Requirements for Flying? Demonstrate overall good control Absence of debilitating diabetes complications Absence of any recent unexplained hypoglycemic events
How to Ensure Safe Flying? Test blood sugar 30 minutes of takeoff; each hour into a flight and 30 minutes before landing Results need to fall between 5.0 15.0 mmol/l If below 5.0 mmol/l, ingest 15g readily absorbable carbohydrate
Pilots With Diabetes EASA Some challenges for pilots with diabetes..
Pilots With Diabetes (www.pilotswithdabetes.com) Formed in 2007; attempting to persuade UK CAA to allow commercial & private flying with diabetes Contacts in USA, Canada, Australia, South Africa & across Europe Use Canadian commercial flying as an example Use USA private flying as an example Promoting: individual assessment based on equal opportunity
Engaging with CAA Verbal engagement 2008-2010 No progress so Wrote Requests for Information under Freedom of Information Act to CAA Also wrote to Minister of Transport MPs & MEPs
Major Breakthrough! New CAA Policy - August 2012 The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) introduced commercial flying for pilots with insulin treated diabetes Also full private flying privileges By CAA filing for derogation with EASA.However
EASA Challenge.. EASA challenged UK CAA policy - twice Medical issuance halted in October 2012 and again in January 2012 As of March 2013 the CAA resumed issuing medicals EASA has not challenged CAA since
What s Next? Where we want to go. EASA meets to discuss insulin-treated diabetes licencing in February 2014 Possibility to introduce policy for all EASA countries If not, encourage each EASA member country to file for derogation
Pilots With Diabetes (www.pilotswithdiabetes.com) Help spread new policy across rest of Europe Work with contacts in the USA, Australia, South Africa and elsewhere to adopt similar policy
Future Flying Projects (www.flyingwithdiabetes.com) Diabetes Formation Flight Europe 2013 3 aircraft set speed record Hull -> Le Touquet Diabetes Formation Flight Europe 2014 land in minimum of 20 EASA countries Diabetes Formation Flight USA annual formation speed record between USA cities
A huge Thank You to: AOPA UK IAOPA Europe Europe Air Sports International Diabetes Federation
Pilots With Diabetes Formation Flight September 2012 EASA Some challenges for pilots with diabetes..
THANK YOU!