PED's on/off during various flight stages - Why?

[LiamR]

As the newer planes also allow IFE from gate to gate, I hardly think that this is a matter of attention during the ascent/descent.

I do appreciate that the crew can turn off the IFE but if something were to happen suddenly, how quickly would this happen?

If the Captain or Crew make a PA the IFE automatically cuts over to them. If the captain his the big red Evac button on the flight deck, the IFE also cuts out and is replaced by sirens and what not.

 

[alieninperth]

fair enough.

Is there a way to retract the previous silly comment

 

[Major]

At least he didn't leave his phone in the toilet

Incident: American Eagle CRJ7 near Raleigh Durham on Jan 3rd 2012, phones prompt diversion

 

[samh004]

At least he didn't leave his phone in the toilet

Incident: American Eagle CRJ7 near Raleigh Durham on Jan 3rd 2012, phones prompt diversion

Sounds like they thought it was some sort of terrorist activity…

 

[nlagalle]

Saw this article too:

Why I Won’t Turn Off My Gadgets on Planes | TIME Ideas | TIME.com

 

[serfty]

Saw this article too: ...

What an arrogant person.

After reading that article I no longer have a dilemma. My resolve has been hardened.

I do understand the OP's situation - indeed have felt the same in similar situations.

I will now endeavour ensure FA's are appropriately informed whenever I come across fellow PAX deliberately failing to follow instruction with electronic devices.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

What an arrogant person.

After reading that article I no longer have a dilemma. My resolve has been hardened.

I do understand the OP's situation - indeed have felt the same in similar situations.

I will now endeavour ensure FA's are appropriately informed whenever I come across fellow PAX deliberately failing to follow instruction with electronic devices.

Does that included AA pilots using iPads in the coughpit???

 

[nlagalle]

Does that included AA pilots using iPads in the coughpit???

I never realised pilots were pax????

 

[Oneworldplus2]

I never realised pilots were pax????

Yes, but what is the DIFFERENCE. An iPad is an iPad, no?????

 

[medhead]

Yes, but what is the DIFFERENCE. An iPad is an iPad, no?????

Then again an iPad is not 180 iPads.

 

[nlagalle]

Yes, but what is the DIFFERENCE. An iPad is an iPad, no?????

You'll find the following:

Pilots will ensure if it's a 3G one that it is at least on flight mode.

You also don't know if it is being used during approach or departure. They may even have it off while flying the last part. I know when I am flying and on finals I don't have any maps on my lap or nearby.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Does that included AA pilots using iPads in the coughpit???

or the jetstar pilot allegedly texting while landing into Singapore?

remember... qantas group does not fly unless it's absolutely safe to do so (as they tell us repeatedly)... so texting during flight is fine...

 

[serfty]

Does that included AA pilots using iPads in the coughpit???

I think you'll find the coughpit iPads are not the same as any you would buy off the street. The version would have been rigorously tested to ensure compliance. I don't believe they come with SIM cards ...

 

[Oneworldplus2]

Then again an iPad is not 180 iPads.

From the article/blog post #14 by Mh4k
Tests Cast Doubt on F.A.A. Restrictions on Kindle and iPad - NYTimes.com

When EMT Labs pus an Amazon Kindle through a number of tests, the company consistently found that this e-reader emitted less than 30 microvolts per meter when in use. That's only 0.00003 of a volt.
 “The power coming off a Kindle is completely minuscule and can’t do anything to interfere with a plane,” said Jay Gandhi, chief executive of EMT Labs, after going over the results of the test. “It’s so low that it just isn’t sending out any real interference.”

But one Kindle isn’t sending out a lot of electrical emissions. But surely a plane’s cabin with dozens or even hundreds will? That’s what both the F.A.A. and American Airlines asserted when I asked why pilots in the coughpit could use iPads, but the people back in coach could not. Yet that’s not right either.

“Electromagnetic energy doesn’t add up like that. Five Kindles will not put off five times the energy that one Kindle would,” explained Kevin Bothmann, EMT Labs testing manager. “If it added up like that, people wouldn’t be able to go into offices, where there are dozens of computers, without wearing protective gear.”
Bill Ruck, principal engineer at CSI Telecommunications, a firm that does radio communications engineering, added: “Saying that 100 devices is 100 times worse is factually incorrect. Noise from these devices increases less and less as you add more.”

I don't know if l've made my views clear, but l just do what the FA/Captain instructs. They announce On/Off, I follow their lead. Even though l have my doubts about the 'dangerous effect(s) of a rouge Blackberry/iPad/iPod/Mobile left on' causing the plane to crash or disrupt radar.

What l am confused about is the double standards.

A pax seated in row 30A, is not allowed to use a iPad during certain parts of the flights, but a pilot, who is probably 1 or 2 meters from the (shielded) radar/receiver, can have the device turned on and functioning? Wouldn't the iPad/electronic device that is closer to the radar be more dangerous than someone back in row 30?

I'm interested in this topic because it pops up so frequently on AFF/FT, but never goes beyond the forums and gets answered definitively.

Maybe JB747 can shed some light on this topic and his views?

 

[strance]

I think you'll find the coughpit iPads are not the same as any you would buy off the street. The version would have been rigorously tested to ensure compliance. I don't believe they come with SIM cards ...

I think you're just saying that to appease the ipad addicts!

 

[oz_mark]

Interesting that the cases to which I refer all predate the 2006 time line mentioned. Probably because all newer aircraft are designed and built with consideration of EM interference and acknowledging that would make the article less authoritive.

I have a suspicion that phones or networks have improved a bit in the last few years. With older mobiles I used to get regular interference noises on my car radio or in headsets, but haven't really heard the noise for a couple of years.

It always made me wonder if there was a problem with noise in pilot headsets that may make them miss instructions....

 

[rechoboam]

I think we need to think about the physics a bit more with some of this discussion.

• aircraft radar is directional and the power is directed away from the aircraft
• shielding against the aircraft radar is very easy to implement because the radar is in a fixed position
• ground based radar may be vastly more powerful than a mobile phone. But that radar is also much, much further away. Inverse square law!

I would also ask anyone who thinks there is no threat from electronic devices on aircraft what they think about the use of electronic devices in hospitals? Do they switch off around heart related medical devices? If the answer is no, then think again. I've seen research that shows mobiles interfere with some medical devices and those are still subject to external fields from base stations and radar and etc.


Sent from my iPhone using Aust Freq Fly app so please excuse the lack of links.

I work in critical care and frequently need to use my phone. In fact one of my bugbears is not being able to find patients relatives who have turned phones off.

They can interfere if held say 1cm from a device but this is rare. Being sensible about it prevents any problems.

EDIT: i recall there was actually a review article in a medical journal which concluded that bans on phones end up isolating patients esp. long term patients, preventing relative-staff communication and that all hospital bans should be lifted, on the proviso that devices are not used within about a metre of medical devices.

 

[The Rok]

Being sensible about it prevents any problems.

Being sensible? That eliminates about 75% of the passengers who get on planes daily.

 

[Myrna]

Back to the first post of this thread - I was on a QF flight from BME to SYD a few years ago, I was in 1D, an older gentleman was in 1A. The flight just got off the runway, his mobile phone rang. He answered it and carried on the conversation for a few minutes. The FA sat facing me asked me whose phone was that, she could not get off the seat because everyone had to be seated for take-off. I pointed across the row. As soon as we were airborne she jumped off her seat and told the gentleman to turn his phone off straightaway!

 

[rechoboam]

Back to the first post of this thread - I was on a QF flight from BME to SYD a few years ago, I was in 1D, an older gentleman was in 1A. The flight just got off the runway, his mobile phone rang. He answered it and carried on the conversation for a few minutes. The FA sat facing me asked me whose phone was that, she could not get off the seat because everyone had to be seated for take-off. I pointed across the row. As soon as we were airborne she jumped off her seat and told the gentleman to turn his phone off straightaway!

In my experience QF now allow that- but JQ don't!!