How common is smoking in the cockpits?

[Fernando]

I know its illegal but i was wondering if, in real life, is it common that some pilots at major airlines smoke in the cockpit?

 

[Longhorn]

Um....no. I dont know anyone that does or has since the rules changed a long time ago.

Second, I find it hard to believe that this post is a serious post...

 

[BEfly]

Great way for us all to see you avatar!

 

[Say Again Over]

Not illegal were I work, happens all the time.

 

[puff daddy mac]

Maybe in foreign countries or freighters, where nobody cares or is watching it may happen, but in the cockpit of a major airline in the US I have never seen it or even heard about it...

 

[Wino]

Ive seen it in the cockpit of US airliners for 3 different airlines. (1 a major)

It is NOT illegal by regulation. When smoking was banned on Pax jets, the cockpit was specifically exempted. Check the reg. Some companys added a note in their operating manuals that created the reg, but its not a federal rule for the cockpit, but can be a company rule.

Cheers
Wino

 

[Whiskerbizkit]

Pop a window while taxing....seen it done at 2 airlines!!!!!

 

[LearLove]

from what I've seen and been told (hangar talk wise) it seems the older your pilot group the better chance you may have of seeing someone smoke in the cockpit. I know of one boeing size airplane charter operation that has many early retirement "older - good ol' boys" that tend to do this alot. I've been told of shorts guys back in the old Suburban days that smoked - easy their, just open the window. Few ABE guys used to do it from time to time in the dash but you had to regulate the out flow valve just right and only get 1 or 2 puffs before putting the cig out. kind of a waste.

 

[Mamma]

Heck, even brand new C-17s coming off the assembly line have multiple built-in ashtrays up front. I believe they are even in the simulator.

 

[skiandsurf]

Pop a window while taxing....seen it done at 2 airlines!!!!!

I was jumpseating on a UAL flight about 5 yrs ago. On the pushback and taxi out the capt was burnin 1 with his window open.

During cruise he pulled out a pack of smokes, asked the FO and me if we minded if he lit up. We both said "go ahead". He lit up.

On approach, he had an unlit cigarette in his lips, and while still on the runway, he opened the window and lit up.

So in short....I have seen it happen once in many years of jumpseating.

 

[dugan jones]

i was on a jumpseat on a 727 and was asked by the captain if i minded.....when i said no all three pilots lit up, it was hilarious. they popped the window on the runway after landing to clear the smoke. it was a passenger airline back in 2000

 

[NuGuy]

Heyas,

12,000 hours of 135 and 121 flying, and not a singler burner in all that time.

With that said, I've seen plenty of guys with a nic fit make the mad dash after the parking brakes were set, even in the rain.

Nu

 

[freightdogfred]

When I was a costar at a 121 supplemental flying freight, we did a lot of MAC trips over the pacific rim with heavy crew for CRAF. (Travis-Hickam-Anderson-Kadena-Clark). We had 2 flight crews and a mechanic and EVERBODY smoked. At any given time there were at least 2 cigs burning in that cockpit, day and night. Most miserable trip I ever flew, and I was a smoker then.

 

[Jonny Sacko]

Where's Fritzie?

 

[pianoman]

Flew with 2 different guys on the RJ that smoked on the taxi out with the window open and both packs on. Sucked the smoke out pretty well.

 

[ackattacker]

I've seen it jumpseating on a CAL 767 during taxi out, with the window open. Captain was on his last trip before retirement, but it had a practised look about it.

 

[Headfake14]

I knew friends at ASA that lit up on the E120 when the 120s were going bye bye...did it on the "delivery" flights to where ever.


ALSO...haha...this also involves the "mile high" --

FO was telling me a story...and I totally believe him considering who was the crew.

Empty flight--CA went to the back and hooked up with one of the FAs..ATR by the way...meanwhile the other FA was up in the flightdeck with the FO fooling around. While she was on his lap in his seat (all from this FOs story) the AFT smoke warning goes off. He calls back to the galley...CA answers intercom and says don't worry, "we're smoking a couple cigars" !?

All pre 9/11....good ole days

 

[EatinRamen]

I worked as an F/A for a 121 Supplemental while getting my ratings. I'd routinely have to come up with BS excuses to the passengers about why all of a sudden, the cabin smelled like cigarette smoke. Like someone else said before, it was an older "good old-boys" group of pilots that lit up in the cockpit.

 

[Floatplane]

Flew with 2 different guys on the RJ that smoked on the taxi out with the window open and both packs on. Sucked the smoke out pretty well.

The windows on the CL-65 do not open, it must have been a jungle jet, huh?

 

[CA1900]

The windows on the CL-65 do not open...

No, but the roof does... :laugh:

 

[SuperFLUF]

I've seen one captain in 5 years at a regional and two in 11 years at a major.

 

[Beetle007]

It usually only takes one Carcinogen to kill you. It is a game of probability. If we were omnipotent, we could trace cancer to the single event that caused it. For smokers, that means the one cigarette that killed you. For second hand smokers, it means the one person who killed you by lighting up.

I worry because all deaths in my family have been caused by cigarettes. My dad died from lung cancer. To me, this means I am genetically more likely to develop cancer from second hand smoke. If I am jumpseating, it is their cockpit. If I am working, I don't like captains lighting up with me in the cockpit.

 

[outtahere]

I just dip snuff (Copenhagen). No harm done to anyone else unless I spill the cup on them. Oops!

 

[TriStar_drvr]

Yea, guys used to smoke on the TriStar. Most went down in the EE compartment below the cockpit. The first time a Captain shook the yoke while down there scared the h*ll out of me. Sometimes FAs would come up to smoke too. I think three in the compartment was the most at one time.

Once, when both the Captain and the Engineer wanted to smoke, they asked me to go back to the cabin to check that the landing gear indicator "pucks" on the wing were in the proper position. It took me a minute, but when I figured it out, I told them it would take me between 10-15 minutes to do that. They were pleased with that response and again when I offered to do it again several hours later.

I'll never forget those days...

 

[Fubijaakr]

Haven't seen it in 15 years or so. We used to have a guy who needed to burn one every hour or so. But he's been retired for a long time. Died at 62.

BTW, its NOT illegal for the crew to smoke. Just the passengers.