CAirBear

This is issue is why I left one Bus operator for NK. As far as I know, we are the only US Airline to take this seriously.

Management acknowledges it exists and is a problem. We created a checklist for it, and have full support from CP office to discontinue the operation If we encounter it.

It isn’t lip service. My first leg of OE here I smelt it. Talk about a tough call being a legit FNG. I opened my window, turned off the APU Bleed and told the CA that was the smell. He didn’t smell it...

Despite not smelling it, he supported me, got the bridge hooked back up, MX on board and we ended up deferring the APU.

I wasn’t crazy, as when I asked the lead she said others had smelt a faint whiff of it.

This is absolutely a real issue and not a bunch of crap, which is what the A-holes at Airbus and most management think.

I don’t care what side your on, everyone one of us needs to be blowing up Blumenthals office and helping this bill become reality.

There are fixes for this. There is a company Pall Filters, Over in Europe, that has a bleed air filter STC. Supposedly NK has signed a Letter of Intent to get these things installed.

We shall see. Hopefully sooner than later.

queue

All airlines are taking cabin fumes seriously. They have all their top lawyers staging mitigating actions, deferring culpability, and preemptively mounting their legal defenses. Notice how BJ calls it "odors". As the letter eloquently states, this is to subvert the proper terminology which helps them avoid legal culpability.

Are you aware of what recently happened with glyphosate (Roundup)? Essentially, a gardener got cancer from "Ranger" (which is Roundup, glyphosate). He had a JURY trial and Monsanto (now Bayer Pharmaceutical), lost big time. All these corporations are afraid of jury trials where you can truly hold their feet to the fire. Giggity Joanna is fully to blame because the research has been known to the USAF since the 1950s so it's not like it's a new development. But instead, their primary focus has always been to "move metal" above all other considerations. So being held accountable for this is also the cost of doing business.

But they are not solving the problem. Clearly the genesis of the issue is bleed air. Unless there is a redesign, this problem will never go away. One episode of pyrolized oil will coat the entire plumbing of the bleed system with tons of hydrocarbons which will continue to leech into the air through high/low temperatures and varying humidity. Don't be under the illusion that they are actively doing anything about it. The CP isn't doing you any favors by stating the obvious -- that you should not be exposed to toxic hazardous materials that injure you. You were already entitled to a safe workplace.

Also, remember that with the new oil, or other oils, you may not longer smell the problem but it may still be there.

Yes!!! Well said!!!! And it's free... it only takes an email. If only ALPA would do the same. They've sent out a few good emails to us but they've really dropped the ball on actual 'action', legal action.


What do these filter out? VOCs are virtually impossible or impossible to filter because of the small molecule size. I am genuinely curious on the science of this.

zulu99

Thanks for sharing this. Funny the title of this. I always say this issue is the "mesothelioma" of our generation/industry. I'd say that I experience some form of fume event at minimum 30%+ of the time I am working.

Bjorn Smorgendi

Heard a “fume event” declare an emergency into JFK last night. Hope the crew is OK.

Bluedriver

With the added scrutiny from Congress, now would be an interesting time to write up FUME events when they occur.

queue

Part of the problem with existing methods of reporting FUME events is that it isn't possible to get access to these reports. The company can make them disappear into the hole of SMS. SMS reports are not discoverable in court nor are they legally releasable. Other reports such as FCIRs and "odor" reports are internal company documents and also not subject to release. On the other hand, reports like the NASA form might be more suitable for public scrutiny of these events. https://asrs.arc.nasa.gov/overview/immunity.html

WHACKMASTER

I had a fume event on a 737NG this year. I was mildly educated on these mostly from reading this forum. Therefore, when my flying partner asked if I smelled that wet sock smell, I immediately knew what it was and how to react.

My entire crew and I got sick with all of us experiencing multiple toxic fume exposure symptoms. We all landed in the ER.

It was only afterwards when discussing it with my fellow pilot friends that I realized how ignorant and in many cases downright in major denial so many of our colleagues are about this.

If you’re not mildly educating yourself about this topic then you’re crazy. If you’re denying that it exists then you’re a flat out ****ing moron.

It’s caused serious, permanent injury to airline crew (and pax) and has even killed several of them. The airlines and manufacturers are running a major hush hush campaign to keep this under the rug. It’s a GIANT liability to them.

What’s been even more disheartening than my airline denying and trying to deflect the blame on my event is how casually so many of our fellow airline crew are taking a very serious threat.

coopervane

I’m so sorry to hear about your event. I hope you get back to 100%. I feel like every time I go to work I’m playing Russian roulette with a 100 chamber revolver.

Here’s to hoping SWAPA and ALPA start to take this issue seriously.

WHACKMASTER

Thanks. I totally understand how you feel. Helpless in a way especially in you’re riding on the back with no access to a quick don O2 mask.

Here’s what everyone should be carrying and have readily accessible whether operating an aircraft or DHing/commuting. Cheap insurance.

https://respro.com/store/product/techno-mask

localizer

Is getting baseline tests done going to make a difference? I understand that after exposure the levels in your body can return to normal.

Also, if our bleed system with HEPA filters can’t filter the air, how can that mask?