Each and every pilot is multifaceted.
We’re all unique, and we love that! Some habits, hobbies, and lifestyle choices don’t mesh well with aviation, though.
A perfect example is smoking.
When you sign on to be a student, renter, or any type of member with SunWest Aviation, you promise us that you and your passengers will not smoke in or around the school, the aircraft, or the airport in general. There are many reasons we ask this of you, the most important of which is safety.
When smoke is present in an aircraft cockpit, the detriment to safety is obvious. Your view can become cloudy or hazy, you may experience a negative physical reaction to the smoke (pulling your attention away from flying the aircraft,) your passenger(s) may be allergic to smoke or asthmatic and could end up in an unsolvable medical emergency...it’s just not a good situation. This goes for all tobacco and non-tobacco forms of smoke:
Don’t smoke in the planes.
Aside from posing risks to your safety, smoking in the aircraft or school, regardless of what type of smoke is exhaled, can also damage the interior of the planes or the furniture in the school. Should you or your passenger(s) inflict this type of damage upon SunWest property, you will be held liable for all repair costs.
The responsibility to leave the smoking devices behind seems manageable when you think in terms of yourself, but what happens when you bring passengers into the facility, or on board a SunWest aircraft?
Don’t let THEM smoke.
We do understand that some forms of smoking are used as medical aids. In these cases, we respect the medical needs of every student, renter, and passenger in our aircraft and school, but we still cannot allow smoking in the aircraft, on the field, or in the school at any time. Should you or your passenger require smoking devices over the course of using a SunWest aircraft, please pack the device safely and securely in a personal bag, stow that bag in the cargo bay of the aircraft, and remove it for use only when you are able to distance yourself considerably from the aircraft. If you are keeping your feet on the ground for the day and you find it necessary to smoke, please do so outside, at a considerable distance from our main entrance.
At SunWest, we want each and every lover of aviation to find comfort in our dedication to their safety and happiness. The explanations presented in this article do not include every reason why we believe a no-smoking policy is necessary for our operation. If you have any questions or concerns about this, please feel free to contact us at any time!