Captainkarl

I am part of Diabetes Flight 48, flying and diabetes research., an attempt to break the existing record to land in all 48 contiguous states of the USA. The aim is to raise awareness of diabetes and funds for diabetes reasearch Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) exists to find the cure for type 1 diabetes
Three of the four onboard have diabetes, two of whom are the pilots. Departure is set for 2pm GMT on Tuesday 16th June.
If you would like more information please refer to Diabetes Flight 48, flying and diabetes research. where you can follow real-time progress.

Over & out

CaptainKarl

Saab Dastard

Karl has asked permission to post this announcement here, and has added some amplification as to why this is so important for and relevant to pilots.

I wish him and his team well in their attempt, and even more so in their efforts to raise awareness and funding for diabetes research.

SD

__________________
You can't have everything - where would you put it?

lucaberta

Thanks for the info Karl and Saab, great news for us with type 1 diabetes.

On the countries that allow pilots with type 1 to fly privately, I have just received news that my country, Italy, which has never given trouble to type 1 diabetics to fly ultralight machines (called VDS over here), will soon pass new rules that will either ban or limit the flying privileges to fly solo, without any passenger onboard, similar to what the UK NPPL has in place.

This will be a big blow to those who, like me, have a perfectly stable type 1 diabetes, and frankly the fact that you can allow type 1 diabetics to fly *but only* without passenger onboard is quite discriminatory, and I am surprised that an advanced country like the UK has this policy in place for their NPPL.

So a diabetic can fly a light plane only solo, so if he will have a hypo during his/her flight, he will simply die solo, and not with anybody else, is that the idea? Did anybody think about the fact that a passenger onboard might be able to pull a parachute in order to perform an emergency landing, maybe avoiding crashing over a populated area? Does anyone know about what is happening with Continuous Glucose Monitoring devices and how they are changing people lives?

In the next few days I will be writing a detailed memorandum for the italian counselor who has helped reshape the ultralight rules here, and hopefully will be able to amend the rules regarding type 1 diabetes, hoping that something might happen between the draft I have learned about and what will finally be turned into regulations.

Let's use flying as a way to make the world be aware of the fact that diabetes can be taken under good control, so that our lives are not that different from the ones of the non-diabetics around us. This has been my way of living for the last 14 years, since I was diagnosed, and had to quit with the hopes of my professional pilot career.

Many thanks, Luca

Captainkarl

All of my contacts that have reached me in the UK through Pilots with Diabetes : gathering information to help enable people with type 1 diabetes to fly professionally in the UK infact can fly passengers =) You just need to contact the chief NPPL medical Dr through us. We now have 20+ pilots all flying type 1 with passengers.

Captainkarl

Finally have time to update: 4 states to go!! We started tuesday around 4pm UK time and we have made great progress.

For more info about what DF48 is about watch this informal interview with our chief pilot, 'Diabetes world flight '03 pilot & transcontinental/world speed holder Douglas Cairns.'

YouTube - Diabetes Flight 48

Also for a taster of some of the fun we have had check out these to videos which clearly demonstrates Doug's ex-RAF training prior to diagnosis of diabetes.

High Speed Low Pass - YouTube - Diabetes Flight 48 - High speed low pass
Formation - YouTube - Diabetes Flight 48 over San Luis Valley, CO and Navajo Lake, NM

More amazing clips to follow in the blog section of Diabetes Flight 48, flying and diabetes research.
You can also track our last 4 states and completion of the record on the GPS Tracker link on the site.


As a young student pilot at the time of my diagnosis (17, 1st solo on 16th Birthday & 1st X-Country with a Class 2 Medical at the time) I know what it is like to lose everything. People like Douglas who I have met through diabetes & flying are a great inspiration to all people and deserve support. I would like to remind everyone why we are doing this;

-DF48 is raising money for diabetes research for the JDRF for cure research projects. - (ALL money raised from our fundraising dinner and Just Giving page goes directly to the JDRF, the cost of the fundraising excercise is fully covered by Douglas himself as his contribution to the JDRF.)

-DF48 clearly demonstrates that having diabetes need not limit the scope of your dreams.

So if you can spare some change from your 100 pound hamburger trips please donate to the charity we are supporting by visiting our Just Giving page at: Douglas Cairns is fundraising for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) - JustGiving


Finally I want to thank everyone that has donated and everyone who has been following us, but utimately thankyou to Douglas for providing me the opportunity to have an unforgettable experience.


Over & Out

Karl Beetson
'Captain Karl'
DF48 Crew Member

Captainkarl

Finally have time to update: 4 states to go!! We started tuesday around 4pm UK time and we have made great progress.

For more info about what DF48 is about watch this informal interview with our chief pilot, 'Diabetes world flight '03 pilot & transcontinental/world speed holder Douglas Cairns.'

YouTube - Diabetes Flight 48

Also for a taster of some of the fun we have had check out these to videos which clearly demonstrates Doug's ex-RAF training prior to diagnosis of diabetes.

High Speed Low Pass - YouTube - Diabetes Flight 48 - High speed low pass
Formation - YouTube - Diabetes Flight 48 over San Luis Valley, CO and Navajo Lake, NM

More amazing clips to follow in the blog section of Diabetes Flight 48, flying and diabetes research.
You can also track our last 4 states and completion of the record on the GPS Tracker link on the site.


As a young student pilot at the time of my diagnosis (17, 1st solo on 16th Birthday & 1st X-Country with a Class 2 Medical at the time) I know what it is like to lose everything. People like Douglas who I have met through diabetes & flying are a great inspiration to all people and deserve support. I would like to remind everyone why we are doing this;

-DF48 is raising money for diabetes research for the JDRF for cure research projects. - (ALL money raised from our fundraising dinner and Just Giving page goes directly to the JDRF, the cost of the fundraising excercise is fully covered by Douglas himself as his contribution to the JDRF.)

-DF48 clearly demonstrates that having diabetes need not limit the scope of your dreams.

So if you can spare some change from your 100 pound hamburger trips please donate to the charity we are supporting by visiting our Just Giving page at: Douglas Cairns is fundraising for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) - JustGiving


Finally I want to thank everyone that has donated and everyone who has been following us, but utimately thankyou to Douglas for providing me the opportunity to have an unforgettable experience.


Over & Out

Karl Beetson
'Captain Karl'
DF48 Crew Member

Captainkarl

I am pleeeeased to announce we have landed in the 48th state with a total time of roughly 97 hours from start to end. Amazing time. Keep an eye on Diabetes Flight 48, flying and diabetes research. for some great pictures and video footage to follow!! =) Also again please donate if you can to the charity we are supporting by visiting our Just Giving page; Douglas Cairns is fundraising for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) - JustGiving