Aerotoxic Syndrome: The Scientific Controversy

The Grey Area That Never Benefits The Victims
Aviation's "Wounded Canaries" or Aerotoxic syndrome: The Scientific Controversy
by BEARNAIRDINE BEAUMONT,

Take-Off: Aviation's Wounded Canaries, NOV 8, 2023

Is aerotoxic syndrome a new occupational disease? Described more than twenty years ago based on symptoms and disorders reported to doctors by numerous pilots and flight attendants, it is not recognized as such. It is still the subject of scientific controversy. This is "a denial", says Eric BAILET, a former pilot who founded the Association of Victims of Aerotoxic Syndrome (AVSA) in 2016. “Pilots are poisoned by the air they breathe on board aircraft," he explains. The pressurization system used on virtually all commercial aircraft today was adopted in 1955. Almost immediately, undesirable effects on crews were reported and the cause was established: the air supplied was taken from the engine compressors and contaminated by leaking lubricating oil. When heated to high temperatures, these oils can release dangerous compounds, including neurotoxic organophosphates.

Note: The following is part 2 of the article written by ©Patricia Oudit and ©Eliane Patriarca, published at (part 1©) MEDIAPART on October 31, 2023 (English version here ); (part 2 ©) “Santé & Travail” November 7, 2023. (Translation in parts/versions 1 and 2 by BBeaumont).

Eric BAILET joined easyJet in 2002 and began to suffer from a series of health problems in 2009: migraines, blurred vision, dizziness, vertigo, nausea, asthenia, stomach problems, etc. Between increasingly frequent sick leave, he continued to fly. But in 2015, as he was making the last of his four flights for the day, he was taken ill... In a state of confusion, he was unable to concentrate on his instrument panel. His co-pilot was also in disarray. Just like the rest of the crew. A nauseating smell, with a distinct smell of moldy, dirty socks, had invaded the cockpit and cabin: it was a fume event, (or fume incident), which can manifest itself by faint or strong fumes that aircrew learn to identify (ed: nowadays) during their training. On that day in 2015, the captain managed to land the Airbus: "We can thank the automated controls!" says Eric BAILET, "… but if we'd had the slightest technical problem, we wouldn't have been able to cope. “The proof: "We disembarked with the engines running!”

Continue reading:
https://bee572.substack.com/p/the-grey-area-that-never-benefits

Note from Editor, "Towards Better Health": 

In 2016 I first became aware of the very serious health issue of "smoke events" in airplane cabins, affecting crew and passengers on the aircraft. It was disturbing to read that the crew of a very large passenger plane with hundreds of passengers on board, experienced a "smoke event". The British Airways Airbus A380-800, scheduled to fly from San Francisco to London Heathrow with 388 passengers and 25 crew declared a medical emergency 640nm (736 miles) east of Vancouver and initiated a diversion first in the direction of Calgary, subsequently to Vancouver, reporting a number of crew and passenger were feeling sick due to fumes on board detailing "toxic gasses". The aircraft landed safely in Vancouver about 105 minutes later. Ambulances took 20 crew and 5 passengers, suffering from smoke inhalation to hospitals in Vancouver. 

Ref: Accident: British Airways A388 near Vancouver on Oct 24th 2016, fumes on board, 26 treated for smoke inhalation

Concerned as a frequent long-distance flyer, I researched the issue, connecting with Bearnairdine Beaumont, author of the informative substack on this issue "Take-Off: Aviation's Wounded Canaries". In addition to her Substack, information on the aerotoxic syndrome can be found at Ms. Beaumont's Website UNFILTERED including medical information and laboratory protocols, documentaries and videos, testimonies, books, court cases, and general information about the causes of fume events and the health consequences known as AEROTOXIC SYNDROME so many have already suffered from.