My job involves a lot of sitting in a confined area. Confined areas only have so much fresh air available. After all … a Super Cub fuselage is only half the size of a compact car. Adverse aromas are usually detected only after getting airborne. The distraction of flight duties often over-ride foul odors during critical phases of flight, such as taxi and takeoff. This unfortunate fact occasionally leaves me hanging high above a rugged mountain range sniffing the distinct smell of dog crap. By the time the situation can be accurately assessed, it is almost always too late. The cub is not wide enough to perform the acrobatics necessary to view the bottom of my shoe. Even worse … I never really know whether the culprit is myself, or my passenger. Maybe TSA is onto something with the whole shoe removal thing, but the only real option I am left with is opening a window at 8000′ msl and hoping the 90mph wind will adequately disperse the smell. It never works, but my thought is that by diluting the smell it will hopefully not become palatable in the confined area.
The above photo shows the glutinous characteristics of dog dooky. This little package managed to hang in there through, not one, but three, separate landings. The only thing worse than flying around with dog crap on your shoe, is sticking it to an aircraft tire and then slinging it all over the bottom of your wings and fuselage. Just remember there may be a lot of dangers out there in those friendly skies … but sometimes the worst of it is stuck to the bottom of your foot.