IFALPA information Centre –

Daily News Service : Thursday 11^th April 2002

…RESULTS OF BALPA FLIGHT CREW SURVEY SENT OUT IN OCTOBER 2001.

106 REPLIES FROM 600 FORMS SENT OUT TO B737, 757 & A320 CREWS

A DEMOGRAPHICS:

1. GENDER Male 104/106 Female 02/106

2. AGE 20-30: 18 30-40: 40 40-50: 25 50+: 23

B FLYING HISTORY:

Years flying: 1-2: 7 3-5: 12 6-15: 36 16-25: 24 26+: 27

Current Aircraft Type: Not specified: 01

B737: 02 (incidents given were 757 related)

B757: 102

Airbus: 01

C EVENTS:

Have you ever experienced a smoke or fume smells on the flight deck event? Yes 96/106 No 10/106

How many smoke or fume smells on the flight deck events have you experienced ?	1674 + 1667 + EVENTS ON B757 FROM ONLY 93 CREWS. (NOTE: MANY STATE NO AS SEVERAL SO THIS IS ENTERED AS ONLY 2)
On which aircraft type did this/these occur ?	OF 96 YES ANSWERS ONLY 3 PEOPLE CLAIMING 7 EVENTS WERE NOT B757. ALL OTHERS WERE ON B757. 1 had 1 event on ATP (Electrical) 1 had 3-4 events on Tridents 1 had several events on BAe 146 & RJ100 (APU oil fumes)
What do you think, or what was the cause?	OF THE 93 CREWS WHO EXPERIENCED FUMES ON 757, 80 STATED THEY BELIEVED CAUSE WAS OIL CONTAMINATION OF AIR SYSTEM, OTHERS RELATED IT TO A/C FUMES, 1 TO OTHER ACFT AND 1 DE-ICING FLUID, REST UNKNOWN ORIGIN.
How long were you exposed to abnormal fumes during each event?	ANSWERS VARY FROM SECONDS UP TO 4 HOURS.
How would you describe each event?	ANSWERS INCLUDE: OILY SMELL, PLASTICENE TYPE SMELL, SICKY SMELL, TASTE OF OIL, INSIDIOUS, NAUSEATING, BAD SOCKS, FUNNY SMELL, BLUEISH MIST, SMELLY FEET, BITTER TASTE, BANANA SMELL, STINGING EYES, DRY THROAT, IRRITATING NOSE, BAD SMELL, TUNNEL VISION, TINGLING SKIN, LIGHT HEADINESS, METALLIC TASTE, HEADACHE, BURNING SMELL, HAZY SMOKE, VISIBLE FUMES, HEAD FELT ODD, SPLITTING HEADACHE, HOT OIL SMELL.
Did both pilots experience the event, fumes or smells?	OF 92 YES REPLIES TO FUMES, 89 SAID BOTH PILOTS EXPERIENCED FUMES, A FEW COMMENTED THAT FUMES WERE DETECTED TO DIFFERENT DEGREES OF STRENGTH SOMETIMES BY PILOTS. ONLY 3 SAID NOT ALWAYS BOTH PIOLTS.
If you had an event, did you see or consider seeing your company doctor or GP ? If not, what influenced your decision NOT to see a company doctor or your GP ?	MOST (90%) DID NOT SEEK MEDICAL ADVICE. REPLIES COMMONLY STATE INDIVIDUAL FELT BETTER WHEN IN FRESH AIR AFTER EVENT AND NO PERCEIVABLE ILL EFFECTS AS REASON FOR NOT SEEKING MEDICAL ADVICE. INTERESTING COMMENTS FOR NOT SEEKING MEDICAL ADVICE INCLUDE: EVENT SHORT SO DID NOT THINK IT WAS A HAZARD. IGNORANCE. FELT BETTER AFTER FUMES HAD CLEARED. COMPANY DOCTOR INACCESSIBLE OR NOT AVAILABLE. COMPANY DOCTOR SAID SYMPTOMS WERE FOOD POISONING SO GO HOME AND REST. I WAS NOT CONVINCED. TOO TIRED TO HANG ABOUT FOR BA DOCTOR. SYMPTOMS ABAITED SO THOUGHT I WAS OK. DEVOTION TO DUTY. LACK OF ILL EFFECTS. KNOWN PROBLEM. HAD ANOTHER FLIGHT TO DO (COMMERCIAL PRESSURE). TOLD NO NEED TO WORRY ABOUT LONG TERM EFFECTS. COMPANY SAID FUMES HAD NO LONG TERM HEALTH EFFECTS. NO TESTS AVAILABLE. PART OF THE JOB ON THE 757. COMPANY HEALTH DEPT SAID DID NOT NEED TO SEE A DOCTOR. UNWILLING TO RISK LICENCE. COMPANY DOCTORS NOT TO BE TRUSTED. NIGHTSTOPPING SO ONLY LOCAL DOCTORS AVAILABLE. EVENTS SO COMMON, I WOULD BE GOING TO COMPANY DOCTOR EVERY TOUR!
If you saw a Dr or GP, what tests or advice was given?	MEDICAL ADVICE / TESTS GIVEN TO THE FEW WHO SEEKED IT INCLUDED: GO AND REST. EFFECTS FULLY REVERSIBLE AFTER FRESH AIR EXPOSURE. SAW COMPANY NURSE WHO ASKED IF THEY FELT OK AND THEN SENT THEM HOME, NO TESTS DONE ONLY NAMES PUT IN A LOG. NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT. HAEMOGLOBIN TEST LUNG FUNCTION TEST BLOOD TEST BLOOD PRESSURE CHECK NO KNOWN ILL EFFECTS FROM OIL SMELL INHALATION CHOLINESTERASE TEST – NOT DONE BY COMPANY
Did you use Flight Deck Oxygen?	MOST WORRYINGLY SAY NO WITH COMMENTS LIKE: “ONLY WHEN REALLY BAD”. CREWS APPEAR TO BELIEVE THAT SHORT EXPOSURE EVENTS WITHOUT VISIBLE FUMES NOT WORTHY OF USING OXYGEN.
Did you report the event or file an ASR?	SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF NON ASR-MOR REPORTING. THIS IS A VERY SIMILAR TREND TO THE EXTENSIVE UNDER REPORTING FOUND IN AUSTRALIA BY THE SENATE INQUIRY INTO THE BAE 146 PROBLEM. ONLY 61 CONFIRMED ASR REPORTS OUT OF 1586+ FUMES B757 EVENTS. MOST OTHERS CLAIMED TO BE REPORTED BY REPPORT OR TECH LOG ENTRIES

D HEALTH SURVEY: Have you experienced any of the following symptoms during your work pattern?

No Answer Occasional Sometimes Often Long-Term Never

Smoke on the flight deck	11	19	06	01	N/A	74
Smelt fumes on the flight deck not associated with another aircraft in the vicinity?	01	42	34	25	01	03
Headaches/light headed/dizziness	04	35	15	03	02	47
Irritation: eyes, nose, throat	03	39	19	04	01	40
Disorientation	12	09	03	00	00	82
Memory impairment, short-term	08	12	04	01	02	79
Concentration difficulties/ confusion	07	22	07	02	01	67
Blurred vision, tunnel vision	09	04	01	00	00	92
Nausea, vomiting, GI problems	09	16	05	00	01	76
Fatigue, weakness, decrease performance	07	32	18	05	01	43
Respiratory distress, difficulties, change	10	04	02	00	01	89
Numbness (head, limbs, lips, fingers)	05	13	03	01	00	84
Balance/ coordination difficulties	10	03	02	00	00	91
Joint pain/ muscle weakness	09	10	05	01	00	81
Intolerance to chemicals/odors	10	04	11	01	00	80
Intolerance to foods/ alcohol	10	04	04	01	02	85
Skin irritations	10	08	07	06	00	73
Immune system disorders	10	03	02	00	00	90
General increase in feeling unwell	06	29	07	02	03	59
Diarrhea	12	17	11	02	01	63
Cancer (please state type:)	2 DISCLOSED:1 BASAL CELL CAECINOMA & 1 PROSTATE

Health prior to flying career

No Answer 02

Good 104

Moderate 00

Have symptoms increased since flying?	23	Yes 55	No 28
Do symptoms increase more on duty?	23	Yes 52	No 31
Do symptoms decrease a few hours after duty time?	25	Yes 39	No 42
Do symptoms improve on Holidays or days off?	25	Yes 55	No 26
Did you have symptoms Prior to flying?	24	Yes 05	No 77
Do symptoms only occur After exposure incidents?	23	Yes 38	No 45

E OTHER COMMENTS, SYMPTOMS, ILLNESSES:

COMMENTS MADE INCLUDE:

• After my most noticeable occurrence, I experienced tingling in extremities for 24 hours, in addition to a feeling of lower than normal concentration & memory skills….
• Company doctors cannot be trusted. This is too big…
• Captain had degraded attention and I could not allow him to fly the approach or landing…
• How much did my company know about this but chose not to mention?…
• I feel that as a regular reporter of fumes in the flight deck that engineering are not taking my reports seriously as I am a “regular complainer”…
• My worst experience was when I was asked to “report further” on oily smells on flight deck. On return to my departure airport because they were so bad, and we both felt ill I grounded the aircraft – (Report & ASR)….
• I don’t think the company are doing nearly enough to resolve the obvious problem on the 757. Engineering department certainly appear unsympathetic in this regard…
• It is my impression that hot oil smells during T/O & first few minutes have recently become a much more regular event on 757s. Of 20 + events most have been in the last year…
• First time on I was on B757 XX-XX smell not so prevalent, second time XX-01, much more often…..
• I am now on B737, partly because of fumes and now feel much better…
• Long term feeling of fatigue…
• I reckon that every 3^rd-4^th sector on the B757 I can detect oil vapor…
• I am concerned that I may have suffered long term / permanent damage…
• When reported, was told unless you use Oxygen nothing will be done…

[Source: British Air Line Pilots Association].