Vaping in the cockpit.

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Firepac

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Firepac
I know smoking is a big no no but what about vaping? Will it have any chance of damaging the avionics?
 
Vaping while flying is a distraction and introduces harmful levels of carbon monoxide. The pilot more easily suffers effects of hypoxia. Vision degrades, especially night vision.
 
Assuming you're vaping at normal levels and not blowing it directly on or into the avionics, you're probably fine. I'd be concerned about some sort of residue getting on displays as well.
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
I recall my first official lesson - the airplane (Cessna 120) didn't have an ash tray, so the instructor had me taxi over to the FBO so he could dash inside and grab a "bean bag" ash tray to set on the glare shield.
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What year was this? You are a saint to put up with that.
 
My first airplane had the ash trays. I remember thinking how stupid ashtrays in an airplane were. Then again, they're pretty stupid in a car too. The only reason for vaping is to get off cigarettes, and then you should try and kick the vaping habit too. If you've started vaping stop as soon as you can. It isn't good for you, and nicotine is one of the most addictive substances known to humans. No one needs an Albatros like that around their neck.
 
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Clip4 said:
Vaping while flying is a distraction and introduces harmful levels of carbon monoxide. The pilot more easily suffers effects of hypoxia. Vision degrades, especially night vision.
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You're sure about that?
 
Warlock said:
Smoking used to be part of the level off checklist for many through the 80’s, at least in my world…
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Is there enough oxygen up there to combust the tobacco? :p
 
steingar said:
My first airplane had the ash trays.
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My current plane (73 Traveler) still has an ashtray. For now.

I'm not old (by most standards), but I grew up in a time when everyone smoked, anywhere. Both of my parents, and my grandparents, smoked in the car that did not have a car seat to "properly" restrain my tiny body. Somehow I managed to survive.
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
Smoking helps you build your CO tolerance so you are less likely to succumb to CO poisoning due to an exhaust leak.

It could save your life.
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That reminds me of the guy that said that he continues to smoke, drink and eat fast food. That way, if he gets sick he can give something up and get better.
If someone that doesn't do any of those things gets sick, they have nothing to give up and they die.
 
The gyros and vac pump may not like to vape.

Remember, the vac pump pulls air from the cabin, through a small filter, then through the DG and AI gyros (as applicable), then the air goes thru the vac pump, and then exhausts into the engine compartment.
 
I'm getting a kick out of the indoctrination speak.
Smoking bad = vaping bad.

In response to the OP's question. In cars, over time, vaping does leave a film on exposed surfaces, and leaves a residue on cabin air filters.

I'm by no means an expert, but would say, with the amount of air exchange inside a normal small aircraft's interior, and the frequency and duration that it's likely to be exposed to vape, I doubt vaping would be much of an issue for the avionics.
For the vacuum instruments, the vacuum regulator filter might gather some residue (might), but if it is checked and changed like it's supposed to be, that's essentially a non-issue.
 
Groundpounder said:
Assuming you're vaping at normal levels and not blowing it directly on or into the avionics, you're probably fine. I'd be concerned about some sort of residue getting on displays as well.
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jrollf said:
Vaping leaves a film on everything. Can't imagine it would be good on the avionics in the long run...
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I would also be concerned about a film build-up on the windscreen lexan.

Vaping is MUCH safer than smoking, though it may be just as annoying. The particulates and tar from smoking, not the nicotine, are what causes cancer, COPD, and heart disease. Since you are not burning anything, simply vaporizing, there is no CO or CO2 produced by vaping. I never was a smoker or vaper.

If you are a smoker, a change to vaping as your chronic nicotine delivery system would be a HUGE health improvement.

Also, there is some evidence of nicotine slowing the advance of age-related dementia and alzheimers, though it is delivered by nicotine patch.
 
jime said:
I'm getting a kick out of the indoctrination speak.
Smoking bad = vaping bad.

In response to the OP's question. In cars, over time, vaping does leave a film on exposed surfaces, and leaves a residue on cabin air filters.

I'm by no means an expert, but would say, with the amount of air exchange inside a normal small aircraft's interior, and the frequency and duration that it's likely to be exposed to vape, I doubt vaping would be much of an issue for the avionics.
For the vacuum instruments, the vacuum regulator filter might gather some residue (might), but if it is checked and changed like it's supposed to be, that's essentially a non-issue.
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What in the hell are you talking about? Every time I see a car with someone vaping it looks like the car is on fire. There is a cloud inside or bellowing out the window.
 
My 1980 172 had ash trays in it when I got it. Shortly after the avionics shop put headset jacks in all four of my ash trays which was a fine idea IMO.
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
1974.
Saint? Hardly.
People smoked.
Everywhere.
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I was apprentice for a guy who smoked 3 packs of cigs a day in the late 1970s. I spent a lot time in break rooms watching him smoke. My father in law was a heavy smoker also. I was at both of their bedsides before they died early from smoking.
 
Smoking / vaping is bad, everyone including the smoker knows it. I dont think thats what OP is asking. anywho...

OP - if you are using classic vape it produces water vapor, that too not much. i highly doubt that will cause any problem to your avionics considering the fact that those avionics sit in very harsh environments (vibration, heat etc) and still works fine. I wouldn't blow the vape into the avionics - you probably wont do that either.

if you are using something like iQOS - its a little different - its not water vapor you are blowing out. I would imagine it would leave a film eventually.

open a window while you do it ?
 
Why not try Velo pouches during a flight?
Nicotine without the tobacco. You don’t have to carry around a “dip cup”.

Just a thought.
 
There's a ridiculous amount of nonsense said about vaping. Seems everybody is an expert.

There are a multitude of different vaping systems. Depending, you can produce large clouds of vape, or virtually none at all.

Contrary to popular myth....... Not all vape juice contains nicotine.

You can have nicotine, or THC for that matter, in your vape, but it's totally your choice.

I've vaped for many years. I custom blend my own juice, and haven't used nicotine in my juice for years.

I was a heavy smoker for decades. When vaping came around it was a godsend.

People, please stop regurgitating all the myth and nonsense about vaping.
 
Gary Ward said:
What year was this? You are a saint to put up with that.
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Everybody put up with it; smoking was the norm. You might not be old enough to remember requesting to sit in the non-smoking section of airliners or restaurants (if they even had one).
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
I recall my first official lesson - the airplane (Cessna 120) didn't have an ash tray,
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Cessna 120's did indeed have an ash tray. Lower left hand quadrant of the fixed instrument panel, just under the magneto toggle switches.
That was the first piece of panel real estate butchered for radio installation so the ash trays disappeared from all but the unmolested planes.
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
1974.
Saint? Hardly.
People smoked.
Everywhere.
Click to expand...

i remember dad telling me that he got so bored on his long XC for his PPL (79 or 80), that he started seeing how far inside he could hold the cigarette butt and still have it get pulled out the window…
 
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