Disgusting crewmembers.... how do you deal with them?

belliott · December 2nd, 2007, 19:23

I am a brand spanking new FO at a small 135 company. I have no problems with working with any of the Captains with the exception of one.

Problem #1- The man sweats more than four FO's put together.... which leads to foul odors in the cockpit. I keep a bottle of Febreeze with me and "sanitize" his seat whenever he is not looking but it just doesn't keep up. How can I gracefully make it known to him that I do not appreciate smelling like him after a day of flying and that I don't appreciate the smell (lets just say I have found a new use for ear plugs---- in my nose)?

Problem #2- In relation to the above problem.... he keeps a towel/spare t-shirt with him to wipe the sweat off of him. I constantly find this towel on my seat after completing a quick postflight walkaround on a turn. As I am sure most of you would I find this foul and disgusting. Any suggestions?

Problem #3- This is my last but most important problem. This person has made it known to me that he wants to be a career FO and is just here to fill the 1000TPIC requirement. I constantly find myself challenging his decisions ( as one took us directly through 757 wake turbulence---- not fun by the way). I have taken the controls away from him once and yet I feel like I am "the jerk" of the company.

I have spoken to screw scheduling and have already requested this captain to not be paired with me for religious reasons but beyond that it seems like the dude is always flying with me.

Any help dealing with this guy would be great.

moxiepilot · December 2nd, 2007, 19:49

sprinkle itching powder on his shirt towel. at least that way you can laugh it off.

darrenf · December 2nd, 2007, 20:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by belliott

I have taken the controls away from him once

Wow!! I would love to hear more about that.

jettison IT · December 2nd, 2007, 22:06

If you really want this to stop, then your going to have to confront him head-on about these issues sometime. I know its a sensitive area but you have to tell the slob in a nice way. Take into account even if you talk to him in a nice way theres no guarantee he's going to change. If that happens then go to the higher ups. Too bad there's no FAR that addresses slobiness.

Good luck

minitour · December 2nd, 2007, 22:29

Try turning up the AC or putting on the O2 mask.

newty · December 2nd, 2007, 23:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by jettison IT

Too bad there's no FAR that addresses slobiness.

Good luck

61.153(c) Be of good moral character

You can't have good morals and be throwing your sweat laden towel on someone elses seat.

slushie · December 3rd, 2007, 04:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by newty

61.153(c) Be of good moral character

You can't have good morals and be throwing your sweat laden towel on someone elses seat.

That has little to do with morals.
More like like being inconsiderate.

If it's a genuine medical thing (hyperhydrosis or whatever) what can you do and still be in fairness?

If he's not wearing deodorant or showering daily...then that's something that he needs to be called out on professionally...in private.

But it seems like you have more important issues with this guy anyways...like SAFETY. Take care of that first.

newty · December 3rd, 2007, 15:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by slushie

That has little to do with morals.
More like like being inconsiderate.

Sorry, I haven't figured out the sarcasm tag yet

mikecweb · December 3rd, 2007, 15:10

You can ask my old SICs on here how they dealt with my disgusting self. I think ACKeight was the only one that really got grossed out by me.

butt · December 5th, 2007, 04:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by belliott

... and have already requested this captain to not be paired with me for religious reasons

huh?

Snickersnwa · December 5th, 2007, 06:10

"Turn the heat off!"

mattp1803 · December 5th, 2007, 13:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snickersnwa

"Turn the heat off!"

Ha! That was the funniest video ever!

belliott · December 5th, 2007, 17:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by butt

huh?

Me trying to come up with a suitable lie to get out of flying with him.

I also very much enjoyed the "Turn the heat off" video. Need to find a link to that movie again.

Doug Taylor · December 5th, 2007, 17:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by belliott

Problem #1- The man sweats more than four FO's put together.... which leads to foul odors in the cockpit. I keep a bottle of Febreeze with me and "sanitize" his seat whenever he is not looking but it just doesn't keep up. How can I gracefully make it known to him that I do not appreciate smelling like him after a day of flying and that I don't appreciate the smell (lets just say I have found a new use for ear plugs---- in my nose)?

You know, I'd just tell him what you told us. I've had to do that with some of my students in the past.

Quote:

Problem #2- In relation to the above problem.... he keeps a towel/spare t-shirt with him to wipe the sweat off of him. I constantly find this towel on my seat after completing a quick postflight walkaround on a turn. As I am sure most of you would I find this foul and disgusting. Any suggestions?

Just like above. Tell him what you told us!

He may not even realize that he's dipping into your personal hygiene zone at all. If he's a professional, he'll appreciate the input and make adjustments.

Quote:

Problem #3- This is my last but most important problem. This person has made it known to me that he wants to be a career FO and is just here to fill the 1000TPIC requirement. I constantly find myself challenging his decisions ( as one took us directly through 757 wake turbulence---- not fun by the way). I have taken the controls away from him once and yet I feel like I am "the jerk" of the company.

Well, this can go either way.

Either he's a weak pilot or you've got a case of captainitis!

ILSstud · January 14th, 2008, 18:51

suggest botox...supposedly botox injections to areas of high sweat concentrations inhibits sweat production...

Velocipede · January 14th, 2008, 19:02

If he's that bad, use the no-fly list. And if you don't want to address him personally, have Professional Standards do it.

Alchemy · January 15th, 2008, 01:20

I once had a captain tell me I had bad breath and needed to wear some cologne (at the end of a 4 day). It was the first I'd heard that I smelled bad. I guess the direct approach works.....I used mouthwash and squirted some armani on every morning after that (I was already brushing, flossing, and showering). Hadn't had anyone else say anything, and never realized I had a problem before. Now that I'm in the left seat I don't even shower though, I figure my FO's can just deal with it. Only kidding about that last part of course.

Maybe just say something to him, like "have you ever considered wearing some cologne?". Or perhaps "I'm glad your using the towel to keep things clean up here, but could you please not put it on my seat? Thanks."

I don't know if there's anything he can do about the sweating, other than keeping the cockpit colder or maybe losing some weight.

Doug Taylor · January 15th, 2008, 03:39

Yeah dude, I was going to say something that morning in Louisville, but I didn't want to be rude.

AP2B · January 15th, 2008, 08:19

Quote:

Problem #2- In relation to the above problem.... he keeps a towel/spare t-shirt with him to wipe the sweat off of him. I constantly find this towel on my seat after completing a quick postflight walkaround on a turn. As I am sure most of you would I find this foul and disgusting. Any suggestions?

Hell No! (snaps fingers). Is the guy close to 1000 TPIC? Maybe he'll leave soon.

Pietrantonio · January 15th, 2008, 19:35

Not to throw the wrench in the spokes, but is he 100% medically alright? I only ask, because of how bad you describe his sweating problem. My father used to sweat a lot, and he would start sweating from really doing nothing. My family would joke about it, but he later found out that he had Pheochromocytoma...a very rare type of cancer and sweating was one of the associated symptoms. Needless to say, my father never recovered from the Pheo, and passed away. So, like I said, I don't want to side track here by my post, but it might be something to look into.

To back up my reasoning, here is a link which provides some info about Pheos and more specifically, the third paragraph down mentions sweating.

http://www.webmd.com/cancer/tc/pheoc...al-information

Alchemy · January 16th, 2008, 15:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doug Taylor

Yeah dude, I was going to say something that morning in Louisville, but I didn't want to be rude.

Of course I smelled after a night in loo-vul, I challenge anyone to dine at skyline at come out like smelling like a rose

. That stuff permeates your skin.

But I'm glad you didn't say anything. I don't know if I could've handled such blunt criticism from my airline idol. I probably would've had to turn in my badge and resign on the spot if my ego took such a crushing blow

granlistillo · February 23rd, 2008, 18:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by belliott

I am a brand spanking new FO at a small 135 company. I have no problems with working with any of the Captains with the exception of one.

Problem #3- This is my last but most important problem. This person has made it known to me that he wants to be a career FO and is just here to fill the 1000TPIC requirement. I constantly find myself challenging his decisions ( as one took us directly through 757 wake turbulence---- not fun by the way). I have taken the controls away from him once and yet I feel like I am "the jerk" of the company.

Well, how did the captain react to his brand spanking new FO taking the controls from him? Just asking, and not judging, but how does that happen and one of you not get fired? Sorry not trying to be conflictive, but that is amazing. Did you say my airplane and grab the yoke?

ackeight · February 24th, 2008, 11:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikecweb

You can ask my old SICs on here how they dealt with my disgusting self. I think ACKeight was the only one that really got grossed out by me.

Haha Cheeto Feet! most of the time I couldn't tell my students that they smell.. but with you mike I could joke about mostly anything, which made it easier to deal with those skanky things.. sheesh!

skywestseth · February 25th, 2008, 16:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by belliott

Any help dealing with this guy would be great.

Don't sweat it....

Pistolpak1 · February 25th, 2008, 19:16

FIrst I am sure that somebody else had to of had the same complaint. Maybe you should fight fire with fire, start stinking too. You can handle your own smell, right. let him get a "taste of his own medicine". Better yet spray his seat with cologne when he aint there, the combo might make it tolerable. As far as taking the controls away, there might be a reason to call attention to him for that alone.