Hello! I am turning 18 in the near future and have had T1D for nearly 4 years. I am looking to start flight training soon through the Private Pilots License and ultimately become a Commercial Pilot in the future. My question is, can I become a Commercial Pilot if I have T1D. I understand that this article:
https://www.diabetes.org.uk/About_u...-diabetes-allowed-to-fly-commercial-aircraft/ says pilots with diabetes allowed to fly commercial aircraft, however does this mean that if you are a pilot and hold a license and you develop T1D while you hold your license that you can go back into commercial operations or does it mean that anyone with T1D can become a commercial pilot and fly commercial aircraft
? @ScottyD
Hi, My son was diagnosed with T1D in Nov 2016, one week before his 16th birthday. He had been learning to fly, taking his ppl and we had just met with the owner of one of the large European commercial pilot flying schools the summer before (last summer in fact), to ask about how he might get a place there in the future: qualifications, A'Levels, first degree, etc. In short - even with a licence, it's highly competitive to get a commercial flying job. So armed with that info, he continued lessons, determined to be a commercial pilot, and then T1 hit.
We did research. This changed nothing re the ppl or indeed the commercial flying school entry/ licencing. Like driving, there are certain rules regarding bs levels prior to flying. Just adhere to them and there's no issue. However, he could not join the military, if he wanted to.
What the flying school owner told us - off the record - was that, despite disability legislative protection, he would probably find it more difficult to get a job with T1D, in reality. He said this was an unspoken thing and would not be admitted to. (Whether readers like this or not, please don't react, as I'm repeating what I was told. I work in HR myself, so I know how inappropriate this is.) We actually found this helpful, as my son has now decided that he is going for a different career option. His decision: why go for something that is going to be very tough anyway, that has just become tougher, when I can do other things. I guess he realised how much he did and didn't want to go for something.
He's continuing the ppl for the love of flying though.
I hope this helps and good luck with your career!