Smoke'em if you got'em

[Kelly]

New German airline to cater to smokers...get your apps in now!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5121786.stm

 

[sky37d]

One of the cool times in my life was coming back from PDK, the AP was on, it was smooth and quiet, the side vent window was open, my co and I each had a water bottle for an ashtray, and we were smoking.

Ah, the days are gone.

 

[stearnst]

I remember briefly hearing in a systems class that cigarette smoke was damaging pressurization systems, particularly outflow valves and the like, due to contaminants starting to clog them. Any truth to this? I know little to nothing about the system anyhow, just curious if anyone else had heard of it.

 

[Thedude]

I give it 8 months till it tanks..assuming it makes it that long

 

[HarryShadow]

The outflow valves on my plane have their filters replaced periodically, and that's just due to normal pneumatic flow...so, I'd buy the negative affects of cigarette smoke. Of course, I fly a plane that's 40+ years old, which says a lot...

 

[foreverfo]

I remember briefly hearing in a systems class that cigarette smoke was damaging pressurization systems, particularly outflow valves and the like, due to contaminants starting to clog them. Any truth to this? I know little to nothing about the system anyhow, just curious if anyone else had heard of it.

That's common to hear and probably not surprising. Besdies the RJs, most planes are in the desert now that were smoked in, beside U's 73s and NWA's DC-9s.....imagine the smoking that's gone on in those things?!?!

 

[sky37d]

I don't think it's an urban legend. I had heard that on planes, when smoking was allowed, that the outflow valves would get gummed up, needed extra attention.

 

[Gorilla]

I don't think it's an urban legend. I had heard that on planes, when smoking was allowed, that the outflow valves would get gummed up, needed extra attention.

It's not a legend. When I was plumbing smoker 727's, the fuselage aft of the outflow valve had a thick, brown stain easily 3 feet long. I can only imagine what it looked like inside the valve.

 

[Piper877]

I'm fairly certain this concept was tried here in the US not too long ago. If I remember right it was a shuttle along the east coast that was smoking only. It failed pretty quickly unfortunately. As a smoker, I'm applying!