Toxic fumes on planes are poisoning pilots and rendering them unable to fly safely, say pilots, who are campaigning for 鈥渁erotoxic syndrome鈥� to be recognised as a disease.
Two official investigations are being opened after concerns that highly toxic oil contaminants are leaking into cabin air supply on commercial airliners in flight. The UK government is to fit air-monitoring equipment on board aircraft amid increasing concerns that passengers, pilots and cabin crew are being exposed. And 1500 pilots will take part in the first major health study designed to establish the extent of the problem.
鈥淲e鈥檙e basically the canaries 鈥� getting knocked down by the fumes first,鈥� says Susan Michaelis, a former pilot who believes she was poisoned by fumes from leaked engine oil while flying. She and other grounded pilots launched a campaign for the condition to be recognised, at a meeting at the UK鈥檚 Houses of Parliament on 18 June.
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Compressed air is routinely drawn off engines and supplied to aircraft cabins. If the seal inside the engine is not secure, engine oil can leak into the cabin and contaminating air with toxic tricresyl phosphate (TCP), says Michaelis.
Dirty socks
Michaelis, who is currently at the University of New South Wales, Australia, carried out a survey of 250 pilots and found that 85% had detected contaminated air 鈥� which smells like 鈥渄irty socks鈥� 鈥� while flying. Of these, 57% reported symptoms of ill health relating to the incident, and 8% had to be retired on health grounds.
Michaelis believes that the long term effects of prolonged exposure are largely overlooked by airline companies. Symptoms related to long term exposure purportedly include neurological and respiratory problems, memory loss, difficulties with speech, and chronic fatigue.
鈥淧assengers should be made aware that the pilot鈥檚 ability to fly is being impaired,鈥� says Michaelis. One affected pilot reportedly fell asleep in a flight simulator after exposure in a real aircraft, and was told he was unfit for flight.
鈥淓verybody recognises that there are incidents where fumes enter cabins,鈥� says Jonathon Nicholson, a spokesperson for the UK鈥檚 Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). 鈥淲e will look at further work on the issue if long-term health issues are proven.鈥�
