Originally Posted by
N9373M
DCA13WA068
On 2 March 2013, at approximately 0849 UTC time, a Boeing 737-530, registration D-ABIL, operated by by Lufthansa, was operating between Franfurt, Germany and Graz, Austria. The crew reported that just after takeoff from Frankfurt, and again about 5 minutes before landing in GRZ, a smell of "old socks" could be observed in the cockpit and the front galley - each time for approximately 3 minutes. The Captain and 1st Officer used oxygen masks while the smell was present. The flight landed normally and there were no injuries.
Not sure if this should be posted in: Safety, Hangar Talk, or the ridiculous mx thread.
This was discovered during the 1920s during the first lighter than air flights by zeppelins and was named bierundwurstgaz by scientists. It causes watering of the eyes and gagging and is normally produced by changes in cabin pressure.
A similar scientific discovery was made in the US and was caused by Bud and pickled eggs.