Calls for in-cabin fume leak studies were made at the British Air Line Pilots Association's Contaminated Air Protection Conference last week in London. Guest speaker Dr Christopher Winder, associate professor in chemical safety at the University of New South Wales, Australia, criticised the industry for not doing enough to monitor fume leaks, which he considers a major health hazard.
Australian, UK and US pilot unions began their own survey last year, and over the past six months pilots have been asked to report health symptoms. Sixty-five have responded, a sample considered to be statistically insignificant for the global pilot population. The small number may be due to the infrequency of fume leaks and their lack of severity.
ROB COPPINGER/LONDON
Source: Flight International
