Are stinky students that common?

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lnxguy@reddit

Hey, it's better than a platoon of Korean soldiers that have been eating kimchi in the summer.

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Funny. Remember a podcast with an old vet talking about making his spec ops soldiers eat Vietnamese diet so they were stealthier around enemies because the food gave them a similar smell to the enemy.

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Imlooloo@reddit

What about the seats? Do they h ave a lambswool cover or just bare seats? Maybe your students are thinking YOU are the stinky one but in actuality it’s neither of you, it’s that old sweaty seat cover! Worth a sniff, but make sure no one is looking when you do this!

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Face88888888@reddit

When I was a copilot fresh out of UPT and PIQ I was deployed to Manas on the KC-135.

There was one jet out there, and for some reason it was only the left seat, every time the other pilot would sit down it reeked to high hell.

That one cushion somehow released the aroma of a combined 60 years worth of dudes farting in it. I wish I still remembered what tail number it was.

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HalfMountain2440@reddit

Had a similar experience when I was at Grand Forks—freaking Cold War farts stored and aged for decades. 😷

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caelum52@reddit (OP)

We just have normal seats no cover but that’s a good point

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nated0ge@reddit

Ive had 4 smelly students (2 Bio, 1 heavy smoker).

Based on the amount of students we get, i would say its about 1-3%, so its very uncommon i would say.

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_-Cleon-_@reddit

Compare how much time they're spending in the tiny unairconditioned airplane, and how much time you're spending in the tiny unairconditioned airplane, and ask yourself how you must be smelling...

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caelum52@reddit (OP)

To be honest I'm Asian so I think I have the gene that reduces the amount of odor that you have from sweat, but I prob do stink

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BayBreezy17@reddit

Sir, I’m not Asian but I live in a majority Asian area. Be assured, we ALL smell.

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russellvt@reddit

It's likely just a "different" aromatic / scent that you've gone "nose blind" to, since you're around it a lot.

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anon7631@reddit

That gene also determines earwax type, so there's a way to tell if you have it independent of nose-blindness.

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trimix4work@reddit

There are earwax types?

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anon7631@reddit

Yes. Wet earwax is sticky, brown, and (well) waxy. Dry earwax is grey and flaky. The type is determined by the ABCC11 gene. That gene also affects sweat glands, causing a strong reduction in BO among people with the dry-wax allele. It's not the only genetic factor, and obviously there are other factors as well like diet (e.g. curry spices) but it is a major one.

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russellvt@reddit

At least different characteristics of it, yes.

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gromm93@reddit

The things you learn on Reddit.

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BlueVario@reddit

Asians really do not stink, or at least it's a whole different order of magnitude. Deodorant is not even a thing in China.

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Soggy-Ambassador-571@reddit

i don’t think asians hit puberty

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russellvt@reddit

Deodorant is not even a thing in China.

We "know" ... there are plenty of anecdotes, there, which at least partially contradict your first assertion.

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BlueVario@reddit

Oh sorry I didn't realize this thread was devoid of anecdotes.

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_-Cleon-_@reddit

I lived in GA for \~20 years and the increasingly hot summers was one of the reasons I got the hell out. 😃

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ltcterry@reddit

I’m inclined to leave GA, too. But my adult kids and grandchildren are close. If I could just get them all to move close to a good glider site…

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DoomWad@reddit

My wife is Asian and she never has to use deodorant, even in hot weather. I think you're good 👍

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deleted_by_reddit@reddit

[removed]

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flying-ModTeam@reddit

/r/flying is intended to be a friendly and accepting place; check your ego at the door and take your snark and attitude elsewhere.

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airbetch11@reddit

All 47 Asians liked this 💀

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Every_Description873@reddit

Its stress sweat and the odor is smelly; it smells different from non stress sweat. Also polyester shirts hold in body odor even after the shirt has been washed. No more polyester shirts and a good deodorant will help.

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syntheticFLOPS@reddit

Your plane doesn't smell like LPS? Tell your maintenance guys to up the spraying.

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ol__salty@reddit

Man some of you guys have never worked on a dairy and it shows

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trimix4work@reddit

What an oddly specific flex...

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MrAflac9916@reddit

I’ve only noticed bad breath

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trimix4work@reddit

Why is everybody giving op advice about controlling HIS odor?

That wasn't the question

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Happy-Table-9515@reddit

Yes, although I’ve noticed it MUCH more with instructors. Much more…..

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caelum52@reddit (OP)

that makes sense because we're doing multiple flights a day, I try to wipe myself off with a towel and spray deodorant between students

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Happy-Table-9515@reddit

Yes, but there’s zero reason to stink zero

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airbetch11@reddit

Shut upppppppp

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Happy-Table-9515@reddit

GFY

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slpater@reddit

I mean im like 90% in agreement. Get some wet wipes and clean up a bit if youre sweating THAT much.

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arcticslush@reddit

I would encourage you to reconsider spray deodorant. The perfumes, especially when amplified by a hot enclosed space, can be very difficult for someone who's sensitive to strong scents (whether good or bad scents).

Towel off, roll on deodorant if you feel it necessary.

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itshappybutt@reddit

Oxyclean, hot water and dry your clothes immediately, choosing natural fibers when possible, and secret clinical strength. It should get you through the day.

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OkEfficiency3747@reddit

I think the old sweat in the seats gets wet from the new sweat and makes the smell just that much worse

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Hypnoti_q@reddit

Haha, anyone from Dean flight school in southflorida that had to go thru this?

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SamArch0347@reddit

Alot of people stink no matter what you are doing or where you work. It's just a fact.

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xSYOTOSx@reddit

Stinky people are common enough because when I went to ALS in the Air Force ( a NCO school) we had to roll play a stinky troop scenario 😆

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iPhones_cameras_suck@reddit

Sorry Terry, I had to mow the grass beforehand 😓

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PsychologicalGlass47@reddit

Get an upper lip rub. They're like little car air fresheners but for your nose.

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the-awesomest-dude@reddit

I’d def say common in the heat. I lived near a UPT base and every pilot reeked in the summer

My dad was a homicide detective and mentioned on more than one occasion how a dab of Vicks Vaporub under the nose did wonders on decomp scenes. Never mentioned cherry vaseline but I imagine it has a similar effect

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Least_Grapefruit7569@reddit

If they wear deodorant and cologne it’ll work. In the army when the soldiers smelled bad they would get in trouble until they fixed it. Properly washed clothes, deodorant and cologne goes a long way even in hot humid environments.

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alphamonkey27@reddit

I have one student that doesnt stink and she is by far my favorite

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JoeThomas7864@reddit

Stress sweat smells different from heat or exercise sweat. It’s what they’re talking about when they say dogs smell fear. Your students are drinking from a fire hose.

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False_Measurement843@reddit

Yes because a lot of the people who are obsessed with aviation are socially inept

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ddllmmll@reddit

I think it really has to do with hot weather in a tight space with lack of AC, nervousness, and inability to air out armpits.

It doesn’t matter how much I wipe down with a wet deodorant wipe, dry, reapply deodorant, wear light clothing, and put on AC if the aircraft has it. I still will sweat and smell after most flights.

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Ok_Battle121@reddit

Oh the CFI life....so glamorous

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Thomas-Ligotti97@reddit

An advantage of being a cfi out of New Hampshire lol!

In all seriousness yea it was common when I was a student. I’d even go as far to buy moisture wicking undershirts but I don’t think there’s anything you can do.

You could always try what the Europeans do an wear fishnet tops under your undershirt.

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aswadi@reddit

What benefit does wearing a fishnet shirt do?

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Thomas-Ligotti97@reddit

It creates a lining and small holes between your skin, and a sweaty/wet shirt.

It’s actually very common in Scandinavia and Germanic countries because the wet clothe isn’t rubbing or sticking to your body.

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TheEtherealEye@reddit

New england is where its at. I just moved to the north shore of ma and will be using a school in portsmouth. Pretty stoked for those coastal flights.

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Thomas-Ligotti97@reddit

Ah I’m instructing in Manchester but planning to move out to Portsmouth eventually. Beautiful city and even more beautiful flying.

Only downsides is the weather

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Accomplished_Beat418@reddit

For the rave after the flight ?

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Thomas-Ligotti97@reddit

LOL maybe that’s why the European scene seems so weird. I tried fishnets once and they worked wonders on hikes

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Technical-Durian1618@reddit

My flight instructors breath is hotter then the weather outside .

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Jacketel@reddit

I'm guessing

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Internal_Elevator_10@reddit

They are nervous students which causes them to sweat and stink more than a normal person?

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Background_Vast_4215@reddit

Can’t be any worse than the ones who drown themselves in cologne every day. Especially nauseating first thing in the morning. Give me some good ol’ BO any day.

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momma_bee77@reddit

I’ve been sweating way more than usual this summer idk what’s going on. Hoping I don’t smell too bad.

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Visible-Choice-5414@reddit

A little peppermint oil drop might make the cockpit more comfortable for all.

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RoseRedHillHouse@reddit

I trained in western NC.

My July & August lessons might have started without any smell, but five power-on stalls in a 152 in 90+ degree weather with 80%+ humidity ain't a recipe for staying clean and dry.

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Gabriel_Owners@reddit

They don't stink any more than the instructors.

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Altruistic_Ad4139@reddit

What's that ol' adage? Something like...

"If you step into a ~~room~~ plane, and it smells like shit, then leave. If every ~~room~~ plane you step into smells like shit, then check your shoe."

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caelum52@reddit (OP)

that's fair, seems like its just the reality of flying 50 year old clapped out planes without AC

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Gabriel_Owners@reddit

Boo fuckin' hoo

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y2khardtop1@reddit

Likely they are re-energizing the stench of the airplane…….

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Impressive-Track-478@reddit

I keep deodorant with me in my bag just cause I’m self conscious about smelling 😂

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LoetherS@reddit

Take a shower before flying.
Dry off completly, make sure your underarms are bone dry.
Use Mitchem 72 hour roll on deorderent, unscented.
Let that dry completly, bone dry.
put your shirt on.
Tell everyone you fly with they need to do the same.

If you don't skimp on steps 2 and 4 you will be fine for a hot sweaty day. If you do this properly it's a little bit of a pain in the ass because after showering it takes longer than usual making sure to be dry before applying deoderent and then waiting again before putting your shirt on because the deorderent would rather stick to a shirt than you.

I feel like hygiene should be taught in flight schools on day one. It's not nessasarily common sense and you can go nose blind to your own stink.

This has been my TED talk.

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ShelbyDriver@reddit

Fly with the windows open?

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RaiseTheDed@reddit

I had a student who wore scented products all the time. It was bad on the other side of the spectrum. Other instructors could tell it was that student who flew the airplane previously because of it, as the smell would stay in the airplane for hours. I learned to point the vent at my face....

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I've heard of morticians using cherry scented vaseline to help with smells, any advice?

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