An Embarrassing Odor or a Tell-Tale Scent?

SWONGER

SWONGER

Filing Flight Plan
Joined
May 5, 2011
Messages
4
Location
Toledo, Ohio
Display Name
Display name:
Bill Swonger
It has happened to me several times now.

I will walk into my house feeling pretty good.
I might even have a residual, almost imperceptible, satisfied grin on my face.

You know the kind...

I'll say "Hi" to my wife and maybe even give her a kiss hello.

Then, about 30 seconds later, "It" happens....

Whatever she is doing she will abruptly stop and snap her head to look in my direction, squint her eyes while saying in her best accusatory voice "You've been with HER again haven't you!!!"...
She will then tip her head back, close her eyes, and gingerly sniff the air, almost like she is double checking for the tell-tale "Scent of a Woman".

She will almost imperceptibly whisper her analysis - like she is tasting a fine wine - hmmm... 100 Low Lead, 20-50W Phillips oil, hmmm... ICE-X II boot dressing!
You've been seeing "N697JB" haven't you!

Next comes the heartrending verdict... "You smell like "Airplane", why don't you go take a shower, we have company in an hour....."

"I smell like an Airplane"... - like it is almost an insult!!!
It happens whenever I fly anything (singles, twins, helicopters) except the new from the factory rentals at the local Cessna dealer.

I guess that I've gotten use to the "Airplane" smell over the decades and don't even notice it - likely I just don't care as I'm too excited to be in an airplane and I over look the slight inconvenience of the odor.

My daughters notice it, and when we fly on long trips they will comment that they smell like an "Airplane" when we land (my son doesn't seem to care..).



So my question is do any of you notice "Smelling like an Airplane" after flying? (I'm not talking about after performing maintenance)

Is there any way to eliminate or mask the odor at it's source (kind of like "Sneaker Balls" for airplanes)?


I'm sure that I'm not the only one that has this "Embarrassing Odor" problem... :rolleyes2:
 
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I recently took Jim Baynham for a ride in my 1960 Cessna 180C. Jim was the youngest B-24 captain in WW-II, flying combat missions at age 19 with less than 200 hours total time. He said he hadn't been in a little airplane in more than 65 years, but immediately said the smell was the same. Evidently there's no way to make it go away.



SWONGER said:
It has happened to me several times now.

I will walk into my house feeling pretty good.
I might even have a residual, almost imperceptible, satisfied grin on my face.

You know the kind...

I'll say "Hi" to my wife and maybe even give her a kiss hello.

Then, about 30 seconds later, "It" happens....

Whatever she is doing she will abruptly stop and snap her head to look in my direction, squint her eyes while saying in her best accusatory voice "You've been with HER again haven't you!!!"...
She will then tip her back, close her eyes, and gingerly sniff the air, almost like she is doubling checking for the tell-tale "Scent of a Woman".

She will almost imperceptibly whisper her analysis - like she is tasting a fine wine - hmmm... 100 Low Lead, 20-50W Phillips oil, hmmm... ICE-X II boot dressing!
You've been seeing "N697JB" haven't you!

Next comes the heartrending verdict... "You smell like "Airplane", why don't you go take a shower, we have company in an hour....."

"I smell like an Airplane"... - like it is almost an insult!!!
It happens whenever I fly anything (singles, twins, helicopters) except the new from the factory rentals at the local Cessna dealer.

I guess that I've gotten use to the "Airplane" smell over the decades and don't even notice it - likely I just don't care as I'm too excited to be in an airplane and I over look the slight inconvenience of the odor.

My daughters notice it, and when we fly on long trips they will comment that they smell like an "Airplane" when we land (my son doesn't seem to care..).



So my question is do any of you notice "Smelling like an Airplane" after flying? (I'm not talking about after performing maintenance)

Is there any way to eliminate or mask the odor at it's source (kind of like "Sneaker Balls" for airplanes)?


I'm sure that I'm not the only one that has this "Embarrassing Odor" problem... :rolleyes2:
Click to expand...
 
SWONGER said:
It has happened to me several times now.

I will walk into my house feeling pretty good.
I might even have a residual, almost imperceptible, satisfied grin on my face.

You know the kind...

I'll say "Hi" to my wife and maybe even give her a kiss hello.

Then, about 30 seconds later, "It" happens....

Whatever she is doing she will abruptly stop and snap her head to look in my direction, squint her eyes while saying in her best accusatory voice "You've been with HER again haven't you!!!"...
She will then tip her back, close her eyes, and gingerly sniff the air, almost like she is double checking for the tell-tale "Scent of a Woman".

She will almost imperceptibly whisper her analysis - like she is tasting a fine wine - hmmm... 100 Low Lead, 20-50W Phillips oil, hmmm... ICE-X II boot dressing!
You've been seeing "N697JB" haven't you!

Next comes the heartrending verdict... "You smell like "Airplane", why don't you go take a shower, we have company in an hour....."

"I smell like an Airplane"... - like it is almost an insult!!!
It happens whenever I fly anything (singles, twins, helicopters) except the new from the factory rentals at the local Cessna dealer.

I guess that I've gotten use to the "Airplane" smell over the decades and don't even notice it - likely I just don't care as I'm too excited to be in an airplane and I over look the slight inconvenience of the odor.

My daughters notice it, and when we fly on long trips they will comment that they smell like an "Airplane" when we land (my son doesn't seem to care..).



So my question is do any of you notice "Smelling like an Airplane" after flying? (I'm not talking about after performing maintenance)

Is there any way to eliminate or mask the odor at it's source (kind of like "Sneaker Balls" for airplanes)?


I'm sure that I'm not the only one that has this "Embarrassing Odor" problem... :rolleyes2:
Click to expand...

This one makes it's way around the internet often. :rolleyes:
 
Bill,

I've told you before. If you weren't such a cheap a$$ and quit siphoning 100LL from your hangar neighbor's plane, then you wouldn't come home smelling like such!

:)
 
Airplanes and Hoppe's #9

Being a home shop machinist, it's WD-40 and AL chips on the carpet. Now I have to be clear that I never use WD-40 as a lubricant. It's an excellent cutting fluid for AL and I buy it by the gallon.

"Take a shower and change your shirt"
"And check your shoes"
 
Bill, first off - welcome to PoA!

---

Secondly, I find my wife is reasonably tolerant of "her" smell, so long as I don't take too much time away from the family in the process. But it is a balancing act.
 
timwinters said:
Bill,

I've told you before. If you weren't such a cheap a$$ and quit siphoning 100LL from your hangar neighbor's plane, then you wouldn't come home smelling like such!

:)
Click to expand...

LOL! Hi Tim!

Free gas is just one advantage of keeping a low wing Seneca in a large group hanger with a bunch of Cessnas!!!
I just push my plane around until its wings are under one of the Cessna's wings, I stick the siphon hose into the high winger, and as they say, - "It's all downhill from there!!!" :goofy:


Mike - Since my wife encourages me to fly, and she flys with me often, I'll pass on the "DIY Divorce Kit" - but that was a pretty funny suggestion! :lol:


To everyone else - thanks for the suggestions - I was hoping for a simple solution like keeping an open 5 gallon pail of Arm and Hammer Baking Soda or a sack of coffee beans in the plane when it's not being flown!
 
SWONGER said:
LOL! Hi Tim!

Free gas is just one advantage of keeping a low wing Seneca in a large group hanger with a bunch of Cessnas!!!
I just push my plane around until its wings are under one of the Cessna's wings, I stick the siphon hose into the high winger, and as they say, - "It's all downhill from there!!!" :goofy:


Mike - Since my wife encourages me to fly, and she flys with me often, I'll pass on the "DIY Divorce Kit" - but that was a pretty funny suggestion! :lol:


To everyone else - thanks for the suggestions - I was hoping for a simple solution like keeping an open 5 gallon pail of Arm and Hammer Baking Soda or a sack of coffee beans in the plane when it's not being flown!
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1 ) Buy one of those siphon pump things that you squeeze to get the flow started - sucking on the end of the hose and ending up with 100LL breath doesn't help sell the "I was playing golf" lie.

2 ) Lean, lean, and lean some more. Much of the exhaust smell comes from running rich of peak.

I can still remember the smell of the old man's Navions. Av fuel, exhaust, and moldy carpet soaked with hydraulic fluid...
 
Airplane smell is infinitely better than stale airliner cabin smell. Especially if you sat next to someone really big and sweaty...

Dan
 
Dan Thomas said:
Airplane smell is infinitely better than stale airliner cabin smell. Especially if you sat next to someone really big and sweaty...

Dan
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Amen. Even rented trainers, which always have a tang of fear sweat and barf, smell better. Only airliner that didn't make me want to hold my nose was a brand spankin' new 717... what a difference!!
 
Old Geek said:
Airplanes and Hoppe's #9

Being a home shop machinist, it's WD-40 and AL chips on the carpet. Now I have to be clear that I never use WD-40 as a lubricant. It's an excellent cutting fluid for AL and I buy it by the gallon.

"Take a shower and change your shirt"
"And check your shoes"
Click to expand...

WD40 was not intended to be a lubricant (the W and D stand for Water Displacement). Get some Tri Flo if you want a spray lube.

Dave
 
My wife hates it. The only way I can get her in the Saratoga is because the new leather smell is stronger than plane. I have to beg her to fly the RV.
 
Dan Thomas said:
Airplane smell is infinitely better than stale airliner cabin smell. Especially if you sat next to someone really big and sweaty...

Dan
Click to expand...


That's the truth. When I come home from work my wife says I "smell like a Boeing" and she's right. It freaking stinks. A cross between stale cabin air and bodily functions. Sitting in that for 8-12hrs takes a toll on your scent.

Except for the 777 apparently. I don't "stink" when I get home from work now. Makes sense, though. The cockpit receives only fresh air and is kept slightly pressurized to move airflow out of it, never into it.
 
WD40 was not intended to be a lubricant (the W and D stand for Water Displacement). Get some Tri Flo if you want a spray lube.

Dave
Click to expand...
Did you read all of my post?
 
SWONGER said:
Dunc!
So... is Angie a Law Enforcement Officer yet???
Click to expand...

Graduated the academy, but job openings are thin so she's working as an armed guard currently. Intact she probably prevented a bank hold up yesterday:rofl:
 
Mine stunk even worse on Wednesday. First heater use of the season, after a few minutes the smell became awful. Shut off the heat, couldn't find anything on fire, smell finally subsided. No odor in cabin vent air.

After landing found a small blob of dried goop in the cabin heat duct, looks like maybe sealant from recent windshield install. Haven't flown since, but plan to heat the removed goop with a torch to determine if the smell is the same. If not, will check further prior to flight.
 
My wife could allways smell the Paris Jet on me when we flew it, for that fact anyone within a mile could.
 
My wife is OK with Charlene's (my 421B) i just better not come home with glitter on my shirt!:yikes:;)
 
kgruber said:
That and Hoppe's #9 will get you in trouble
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Hoppe's won't get me in trouble. My wife shoots, too. Better than me on occation, to boot. Just have to make sure I'm the one using the Hoppe's. She'll shoot, but I clean them afterwards. The contents of the gun safe don't disturb her in the least. :D
 
I didn't realize that "airplane" was a bad smell! I love the smell and have a flying shirt specifically made to absorb the smell. Anytime I feel down, I smell the shirt! Nothing like airplane!
 
Some of our older equipment smells of lav juice and smeg and that can be a very over-powering stench even after 25 years.

(Smeg is the mixture of coffee, sodas, milk and food found at the bottom of the onboard aluminum trash cans.)
 
Geico266 said:
I love the smell of airplanes in the morning. ;)
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c6e4e931-10d5-7cd7.jpg

I couldn't agree with you more.. :)
 
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