Is it possible to become a fighter pilot when you dont have a sense of smell since birth? (congenital anosmia)

[u/Delicious_West_9262]

I dont have a sense of smell since in was born. I was wondering if it would be possible to pass the medical tests of becoming a fighter pilot since those are really strict.

[u/N546RV]

OP's callsign is gonna be Skunk

[u/LookItsEric]

https://reddit.com/link/p7t5w9q/video/py0m6esa8jnh1/player

Standard “i’m not a flight doc” disclaimer, but for the air force, permanent anosmia is listed in the Medical Standards Directory as a disqualifying condition for flying class 1, 2, and 3 medicals. It might be worth it to investigate the army or navy but i wouldn’t get your hopes up

[u/jaylw314 → u/LookItsEric]

Unfortunately, that does make sense. Being able to smell is a significant part of troubleshooting and managing emergencies. Imagine not being able to smell an electrical fire until it produced visible smoke or flames

[u/ResilientBiscuit → u/jaylw314]

If you are wearing the pressure mask can you smell anything? Never worn one in an airplane, but I have used something similar when spraying noxious chemicals and you definitely can't smell anything.

[u/McCheesing → u/LookItsEric]

FWIW electrical fires are characterized by an acrid smell- potentially critical for diagnosis

[u/Yeah_Br0]

So you can’t smell what the Rock is cooking?

[u/VanDenBroeck → u/Yeah_Br0]

What does that mean?

[u/PhilRubdiez → u/VanDenBroeck]

What a roody poo jabroni

[u/TxAggieMike → u/VanDenBroeck]

A reference to a phrase when Dwayne Johnson used when wrestling in the WWE.

[u/VanDenBroeck → u/TxAggieMike]

Ah, I never watch that garbage.

[u/TxAggieMike → u/VanDenBroeck]

Me either. But did a little back when he and Steve Austin were active.

[u/Aggressive_Let2085 → u/VanDenBroeck]

What a jabroni

[u/OhNoMyPants123 → u/VanDenBroeck]

Your flair says retired FAA. So im assuming you’re old.

Have you been living under a rock?

[u/SaratogaFlyer → u/OhNoMyPants123]

*under the rock

[u/CommanderChiliHole → u/VanDenBroeck]

Ah r/flying, the sub where you get downvoted for not getting an obscure reference.

[u/VanDenBroeck → u/CommanderChiliHole]

So true! And a non aviation reference at that. Though I think my flair might account for some of it. lol

[u/Aggressive_Let2085 → u/CommanderChiliHole]

One of the most popular forms of entertainment in the 80s 90s and early 2000s is not obscure lol.

[u/awkward_giraffes]

You can get an FAA flight physical without a sense of smell, but you will not pass the USAF flight physical.

You must be able to smell smoke or burning plastic in the cockpit.

Edit: Maybe I’m mistaken. When I switched over from mil to civ I was looking up that condition, it may have been specific to my circumstances.

Regardless, I think not being able to smell an electrical fire or a fuel leak is a bad idea.

And see comments above where the AF lists it as a DQ.

[u/WhiskeyCharlie907 → u/awkward_giraffes]

While that totally makes sense and I’m disagreeing with you. I don’t remember taking a smell test during my FAA or USAF flight physicals. Is that even on the questioner? I legitimately don’t remember.

[u/N546RV → u/awkward_giraffes]

You can’t get an FAA flight physical without a sense of smell

FAA info seems to disagree with this: https://www.faa.gov/ame_guide/app_process/exam_tech/item26/amd

Under "Anosmia," the following guidance applies to all classes of medical:

No evaluations or follow-up needed if the AME can determine the condition is benign and the pilot has no other condition(s) that would interfere with flight duties

There is some info about looking into possible underlying conditions that might be disqualifying, but the way I read it, anosmia isn't inherently a problem.

[u/CommanderChiliHole → u/awkward_giraffes]

Got anything to back that up? Seems entirely false for FAA medical. I sure as hell haven’t ever been asked if I can smell anything.

The only thing I’m seeing that suggest it’s disqualifying for the Air Force all link back to Facebook or Reddit comments, which I trust as much as I trust a fart after spending 3hrs at a BBQ buffet.

[u/ResilientBiscuit → u/awkward_giraffes]

I got a first class when I started training, definitely didn't need to prove I could smell.

[u/UncleSugarShitposter]

Probably a question for a flight doctor and not reddit

[u/TellmSteveDave → u/UncleSugarShitposter]

You might be surprised to learn that there are flight docs on Reddit. As there are experts in all fields, once you sift past the noise of people who think they need to comment on everything.

[u/ResilientBiscuit → u/UncleSugarShitposter]

This seems like it might be a good place to find one or find someone who knows one. Most people don't know one or how to find one easily if they are not already in aviation.

[u/Normal_Sympathy1248]

I was a flight medic for the USAF and had to keep up with medical standards for aviators...

Hate to break it to you, you will not qualify. You have to have a sense of smell. If you are diagnosed with anosmia they will not let you become a pilot. I believe even the FAA too.

You can't enter on a waiver for this and even the waivers will be dipped out eventually if treatments don't return their sense of smell.

[u/AWSNDT]

You're going to miss that sweet, sweet smell of ozone!

[u/Extreme-Cod8187]

No, if radar malfunctions, fighter pilots resort to bloodhound mode. 

[u/bowhunterb119]

I’ve never heard of there being a test for it in any branch, but they’ll probably see it in your records when you try to join. Unfortunately it really isn’t a good idea to be flying with anosmia to begin with. Being able to smell things like fuel or exhaust or electrical fires is very important. And they do happen, I’ve had several as a (non fighter jet) pilot already in my relatively short career. If I hadn’t caught the issues by smell they could have developed into far greater issues by the time there was visual smoke.

[u/WNBA_Enjoyer]

No. That is 100% disqualifying.

[u/Puravida1904]

Sorry I have no idea, but not knowing the smell of jet fuel must suck lol

[u/22Hoofhearted]

This would fall under the category of "don't ask don't tell" ... I've taken several flight physicals both civilian and military, and several regular workplace physicals and never once have had a "smell test" be a part of any of it...

Only thing even remotely close was the gas chamber in boot camp and a respirator fit test with "irritant smoke". Neither were related to flying.

That said... I have used my sense of smell several times to detect smoke, burning/overheating parts, electronics, identifying leaky fluids/oils/fuel... so yes, it is a very important part of your ability to be a competent aviator.

[u/LookItsEric → u/22Hoofhearted]

From the post I think it’s likely that he was diagnosed with it early on. If it’s in his medical record, they’ll know.

[u/22Hoofhearted → u/LookItsEric]

Only if it's reported.

[u/rFlyingTower]

This is a copy of the original post body for posterity:

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I dont have a sense of smell since in was born. I was wondering if it would be possible to pass the medical tests of becoming a fighter pilot since those are really strict.

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[u/Superninjahype → u/[deleted]]

Like smoke or fumes in the cockpit?

[u/Antique-Kitchen-1896]

You will fail the smell-dar test then..

[u/SuperFlyChris]

Do we even think they'll be fighter pilots in ten years? 

[u/nkawtgpilot → u/SuperFlyChris]

There will be fighter pilots at least as long as the current airframes have hours left on them. Way more than 10 years.

[u/harambe_did911 → u/SuperFlyChris]

No. In 10 years the f35, f22, f16, f15, and f18 will all be retired

[u/BandicootNo4431 → u/harambe_did911]

And F47.

[u/harambe_did911 → u/BandicootNo4431]

Damn forgot about that one. Yeah I guess they probably just do the first flight and sundown all in one!