If you have a fear of flying don’t read on. And I don’t mean fearful of flying for the obvious reasons like being in an aircraft that runs out of fuel and plummets into the Atlantic or being held up at gunpoint by a terrorist threatening to blow up the plane. This fear that I am talking about is something completely different… I am referring to toxic air on flights.
What Are TCPs?
Have you ever heard of Tricresyl Phosphates? If not, don’t worry, neither had I. Apparently TCPs (the abbreviated version) are used on aircraft as an oil additive to prevent engine wear. That’s all fine and dandy but guess what? TCPs are chemically similar to pesticides… not so good! And it gets worse – as outside air is brought into an aircraft via a fanning system, fumes from the oil additive can infiltrate the air in the cabin.
Health Concerns
Exposure to TCPs over an extended period of time can lead to acute traumatic brain injury. This is most commonly apparent in pilots who have been flying for 10+ years. One pilot interviewed explained that he had memory loss, problems concentrating, loss of speech, and “brain fog” – he thought that he had Alzheimer’s.
Now don’t go and cancel your family vacation to Cancun quite yet… it is still questionable how often TCPs contaminate cabin air and according to research already done, by the looks of things it is pretty infrequent. There is a current study taking place on this exact subject in Europe.
Consider Driving Instead
That said, do keep this in mind when you are planning your next vacation… perhaps renting a car and staying clear of the TCP-skies is a wiser option. A road trip can be just as exciting as flying – and you’ll breathe a lot easier!
While TCP contamination is rare, it’s one more reason to consider the open road over the friendly skies for your next getaway.
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