The Pilots of Diabetes Formation Flight USA
Douglas Cairns
In 1989, Douglas Cairns was a British Royal Air Force jet pilot at the age of 25 when he was
diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, and consequently lost his flying career. In 2000 he regained
the freedom to fly in the USA as a licenced private pilot, and then went on to complete
"Diabetes World Flight" in 2003,
the first round-the-world flight by a pilot with type 1 diabetes.
After completing his world flight Douglas wrote a book on his experiences (Dare to Dream:
Flying Solo With Diabetes) and spent three years in the USA giving sponsored motivational talks
to the diabetes community. During this time he set five world speed records and two transcontinental
speed records in the USA using the Diabetes World Flight "Beech Baron," and broke the
existing record to land in all 48 contiguous states of the USA
(www.diabetesflight48.com) before smashing the old
record to land in all 50 USA states in 5 days and 15 hours in 2010. In April 2011 he set a world
speed record between Barrow, Alaska and the North Pole, followed by the first ever landing in a
light twin-engine aircraft on the polar ice
(www.diabetespolarflight.org). Douglas is a
founder member of Pilots With Diabetes and is
passionate about raising awareness of diabetes, and gives regular talks to conferences &
meetings, highlighting that diabetes need not limit the scope of people's dreams and ambitions.
Douglas is based in London as an Investment Specialist with Threadneedle Investment Management,
covering Asia & Global Emerging Markets equities.
During Diabetes Formation Flight USA, Douglas piloted the Diabetes World Flight Beech Baron.
Butch Weaver
Butch Weaver is an accomplished pilot who flies not only airplanes, but helicopters, floatplanes,
gliders, and hot air balloons and has a history of demonstrating that people with type 1 diabetes
can accomplish anything with determination and discipline. In the early 1980s, before the availability
of portable blood glucose monitoring devices, Butch bicycled across the USA, 3000 miles in 3 weeks,
500 miles in 3 days, and 200 miles in one day.
Butch is a former Qualcomm technology executive and is the inventor of numerous crucial technologies
that enable modern cellular communications, and holds more than 50 U.S. Patents. He led the team at
Qualcomm that developed and demonstrated the first practical, commercial CDMA cellular system, now used
by cell phone companies around the world.
Butch lives near Boulder, Colorado.
Jason Harmon
Jason Harmon made his first solo flight in 1988 at the age of 16, and earned his private pilot's
license the following year. While in college, he was diagnosed with type 1
diabetes, ending his pursuit of a flying career as well as his ability to fly privately.
Early in 1997, the FAA made the special protocol available to allow individuals with
insulin dependent diabetes to obtain the class 3 medical certification required for private piloting.
Jason applied for this program and in the spring of 2007 became one of the first group of insulin
dependent diabetic pilots to get their wings back. After regaining the ability to fly privately,
he obtained instrument and multi-engine ratings. Jason is the US contact for
Pilots With Diabetes.
Outside of flying, Jason has put his knowledge of diabetes to work as a founder and Chief
Technology Officer of Get Real Consulting,
where he designs software to help empower individuals to manage the health of themselves and their families.
Jason's systems are in use in numerous organizations (including the American Diabetes Association's
Diabetes 24/7 and the MedStar Diabetes Institute's
eHealth2Go), hospitals, and governments in the US, Canada, and the UK.
Jason lives with his wife Mandela and daughter Alice in Maryland.
Butch and Jason piloted a Cessna Turbo 310R for the flight.
