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Pilots In India Avoid Wearing Perfume:  Pilots in India are advised to avoid wearing perfume before flying due to strict safety and health considerations in aviation. While this may sound surprising, it is rooted in rules that prioritise cockpit safety, passenger comfort, and operational efficiency. Now, let’s get into the details of what exactly is the responsible factor, because of which pilots avoid wearing perfumes before flying and why, as per aviation expert Captain Tomar Awdhesh.

Before entering the cockpit, all pilots have to go through an alcohol test to make sure that they are absolutely sober. This is because the aviation sector follows a zero-tolerance policy, as even the slightest amount of alcohol might affect the judgment and response time of the pilot. It is also important to note that these tests are extremely sensitive and can detect as little as 0.01 per cent of alcohol, as per the aviation expert.

Why Pilots in India Avoid Wearing Perfume Before Flying?

As you may know that most perfumes and colognes are alcoholic. If sprayed, they leave traces of alcohol vapour around the person. If a pilot uses perfume right before the test, the breath analyser will pick up on these vapours and might mistake them for alcohol consumption, which may result in a false positive reading, even if the pilot has not consumed a drop of alcohol.

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A false positive result is a big no in aviation and might become the reason for flight delays, pilot grounding, and strict disciplinary measures. Although the problem is caused by perfume, not alcohol, the regulation is non-negotiable. For pilots, the precaution of staying away from perfume before duty is just to ensure professionalism and standards.

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However, this doesn't mean that pilots in India never put on perfumes. Most of them just wait until after pre-flight checks before they put on their preferred fragrance. This way, pilots get to enjoy wearing perfumes without disrupting their careers or flights unnecessarily. Therefore, the next time you see a pilot being hesitant to apply perfume before a flight, it's more about safety and punctuality than a choice.