Poorly informed doctors

Just went to an Aviation Medical Examiner to consult about getting a Special Issuance class 3 medical for my (grounded) private pilot license.

He starts out by saying, "flying and insulin don't mix". He says if I was on oral meds he could get me an approval.

I know this is false, because of what I actually printed off the FAA's own website. He goes on to look at me and say, "are you sure you're Type I? Maybe we should look to trying to get you on diet and exercise."

Apparently, he doesn't keep up with either diabetes or his own aviation medical examiner information.

Hunt around there are only a hand full that will sign off on your particular situation, you may have to travel some distance to get your looking for.

Why a lot of us have moved to LSA.

I was always under the impression that if you are type 1 you couldn't be a licensed pilot? Am I all wet?

FAA has a waivers program. Requires documented history of control, strong support from an AME, lots of paperwork and time, a most of all - luck!! But, many have received the waiver and have their 3rd class medicals.

It's one thing to say that being a diabetic and flying don't mix. But it's another to question someone that has Diabetes about whether or not they are certain that it's Type One Diabetes that they've got. And another to tell them maybe we should start you on a diet and exercise and see if your disease (that you're wrong about by the way) will go away!!!

One of my pet peeves, is someone that opens their mouth when they are uneducated about a disease.