Revealed: toxic gas threat to air safety

[RedEarth]

Dramatic new evidence that pilots, cabin crew and passengers are being exposed to a potentially toxic gas in aircraft has been uncovered by an Observer investigation.

An analysis of confidential testimony taken from pilots plus official records by the airline regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority, has revealed that in the past three years there have been reports of more than 100 incidents where fumes have contaminated the air inside British aircraft. The gases are potentially damaging to health, with one new report from University College London suggesting that up to 197,000 passengers are exposed to the contaminated air every year.

In more than 40 of the events, there is evidence to suggest that pilots inhaling the gases have been partially impaired while flying. Many have reported feeling 'dizzy', 'spacey', 'nauseous' with some losing concentration and seeing 'spots before their eyes'. In many of the cases pilots have needed to don oxygen masks. Some have admitted to making errors while landing or taking off.

............

In many cases the contaminated fumes are as a result of burning engine oil leaking into the ventilation system. The two aircraft types most affected are the BAE 146 and Boeing 757, which are flown by a number of regional and international airlines.

Some scientists believe the symptoms are a result of toxic chemicals in the aircraft's engine oils that are organo-phospates similar to pesticides. Researchers believe the fumes might cause health problems not only for pilots and cabin crew, but for passengers as well



http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1718278,00.html

[Kagemusha]

1. Basic gas behavior would make this more a problem in the cockpit.

Not, of course, that this is at all a good thing, even if the exposure to passengers is, in and of itself, probably far less of a concern..

[EuroObserver]

2. If there is sufficient evidence for this to justify further investigation

and the definition of a solution, these aircraft should meanwhile be grounded.