In Asian countries, working on an airplane is considered a highly skilled occupation. Aside from the usual flying skills and regulations, both pilots and staff also need knowledge of another language (particularly English). On top of that, physical limitations like height and vision make for a rather shallow pool of candidates.
In China, a country often given a bad rap for lax regulations, the restrictions are even tighter as having smelly underarms is grounds for expulsion from becoming a pilot.
The photos above and below are of a screening session held in Shanxi province for hopeful pilots looking to join Hainan Airlines or China Eastern Airlines. Since the standards are set by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), the screening for each airline can be done together.
During this particular November 3 session, applicants had to be tested on their vision, English, and body odor (BO). The CAACBO exam is rather low-tech. The examinee simply raises their arms while the licensed examiner wafts the air around it towards them. They may also stick their nose right in there if need be.
For the 90 applicants, failure to pass the CAACBO test is just as severe as not knowing a lick of English or being blind as a bat. You do not pass go, you do not collect a commercial pilot’s license.
The benefits of having non-smelly pilots are obvious, but perhaps this test is also a roundabout way to test nerves and keeping cool under pressure. The other exams can be intense, so if you walk out of them smelling like a rose, you’re the right man for the job.
Source: Oddity Central (English) via Lucifer News (Japanese)
Images: Shenzhen News (Chinese)