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

[horseman]

Personally I turn mine off as instructed, and turn a blind eye to those who don't. However the 2 Asian businessmen I observed watching and laughing at cough on a phone during take off was a different story!

 

[JohnK]

There is a 3rd option. I (as a responsible person) can do it. If it disturbs anyone, I am more than happy to stop if asked/advised to by the FA. I will always comply to an FA's instruction, even a fellow passenger if what I am doing is disturbing them. Being 6ft9in tall and 175kg means I'm usually at the pointy end of the plane and therefore they don't really seem to have a problem with it (or they're intimidated by my size lol)

My problem is trying to deal with the irresponsible person who thinks they are doing nothing wrong.

An example of this is where someone on my LA-SYD flight was watching Game of Thrones and there was quite a bit of nudity/violence. Should he be banned from using his laptop because he has the ability to deal with offensive material?

So is anything on a person's laptop allowed? I am not sure nudity is OK. I once witnessed someone in the T2 Qantas lounge using the lounge desktops to access his email and view JPGs of nude models. Not a good sight if there are children allowed and should not be allowed on an airplane either as there are children everywhere.

 

[ferdeline]

Re: Approaches for dealing with 'electronic devices off'

I am surprised by the attitude towards this matter on this forum given that we all fly frequently.

I find it extremely frustrating when I am asked to turn off my iPad or iPhone.

I understand that laptops cannot be used, as the tray tables should be up as a matter of safety, but I have not heard any compelling reasons around why I cannot use my iPad or iPhone. It isn't like they really cause any transmission issues. Normally when I fly I just listen to music anyway, or put my device down for a few seconds until the flight attendant walks away.

I have never had another passenger comment on this towards me, as I usually see them do the same thing. If anything, I'd actually be annoyed if another passenger told me when I can or cannot use MY device.

 

[medhead]

Re: Approaches for dealing with 'electronic devices off'

This thread has been about what it means when the FA/FO/Cap'n says to put it in flight mode and turn it off.

This is obviously so that if you turn it on (to use it in-flight), then it will not start communicating/using its communication abilities.

I personally have a different opinion, it involves Bluetooth Headphones and one ear on and one ear off during take-off/landing (so that I can hear and I do listen/pay attention to the crew during the safety announcement).

The concept of not being able to use electronic devices on planes is silly, if not stupid. A little iPod Shuffle, even an iPhone/iPad, even a laptop with wifi, a device with bluetooth, or a GPS Receiver (because you have to be a satellite to broadcast) is in no way shape or form going to affect any other electronic devices on an aircraft. If that were the case, a terrorist or saboteur could very easily "turn on their laptop" and the plane goes down. I think not.

A lot of what your talking about involves using device once in the cruise mode. That's is only tangentially related to the question of turning device off for takeoff and landing when instructed. I wasn't totally aware of wifi availability on the A380, but if it's there and available to be used, I don't think anyone in this thread is saying you can't use it when appropriate during a flight.

 

[777]

Re: Approaches for dealing with 'electronic devices off'

I'm sorry but calling the button an "off" button does not tell you how to turn it off. Many buttons on modern devices have multiple uses. Take an iPhone for example, the instructions from the manufacturer specifically say to press and hold the "sleep/wake" button (oh no it's not an off button ) to turn off the device.

iPhone, iPad, iPod touch: Turning off and on (restarting) and resetting

It is pretty simple, pushing the button once is not turning it off.

It's not "simple" and I wasn't really attempting to flame bait the threat. I was actually asking a genuine question. I note the page you have linked to describes the process as "restarting" and doesn't really offer a clear definition of "OFF" either. I'm willing to accept that a full shutdown is a reasonable definition if you want to argue it but it's not a particularly consistent one unless you're also arguing every laptop should be "shut down" and not merely closed or sent into hibernation too.

 

[risky]

Re: Approaches for dealing with 'electronic devices off'

But your noise cancelling headphones are an electronic device in their own right, even plugged into the armrest or plugged into nothing at all. I had a flight attendant point this out to me once.

No doubt pretty much the same electronic devices as the pilots have on before, during and after the flight!

 

[777]

Re: Approaches for dealing with 'electronic devices off'

No doubt pretty much the same electronic devices as the pilots have on before, during and after the flight!

Or your watch.

 

[medhead]

It's not "simple" and I wasn't really attempting to flame bait the threat. I was actually asking a genuine question. I note the page you have linked to describes the process as "restarting" and doesn't really offer a clear definition of "OFF" either. I'm willing to accept that a full shutdown is a reasonable definition if you want to argue it but it's not a particularly consistent one unless you're also arguing every laptop should be "shut down" and not merely closed or sent into hibernation too.

It says turn it off (by holding the sleep/wake button etc) and then turn it on again to restart. It clearly states how to turn off the device as part of the bigger process of restarting the device. Ok you're asking a genuine question and I'm giving you the answer. Standby on an iPhone is not off.

Your laptop analogy is not really relevant. Does the laptop play music, for example, in hibernation mode. In any case the same principle applies turn off is not standby. Denenergise the device.


Sent from the Throne

 

[777]

Re: Approaches for dealing with 'electronic devices off'

Your laptop analogy is not really relevant. Does the laptop play music, for example, in hibernation mode.

Yes it does. My laptop will do the exact same thing if you set it to play music and close the lid.

 

[medhead]

Yes it does. My laptop will do the exact same thing if you set it to play music and close the lid.

So it's not turned off then. It really isn't that hard to understand the difference between "off" and "standby". No need to confuse the issue by thinking too hard about it.


Sent from the Throne

 

[777]

Re: Approaches for dealing with 'electronic devices off'

So it's not turned off then. It really isn't that hard to understand the difference between "off" and "standby". No need to confuse the issue by thinking too hard about it.

So is a laptop with the lid shut OFF or in Standby?

 

[ferdeline]

Re: Approaches for dealing with 'electronic devices off'

So is a laptop with the lid shut OFF or in Standby?

As long as the screen is not on, it is OFF, as far as I am concerned.

 

[JohnPhelan]

Re: Approaches for dealing with 'electronic devices off'

If the power is on, then the machine is on.

If the power is off, then the machine is off.

"Turn it off" means "turn it OFF". Do as you're told by the crew, or don't get on board in the first place.

 

[Flashback]

Re: Approaches for dealing with 'electronic devices off'

As long as the screen is not on, it is OFF, as far as I am concerned.

Well unfortunately that's not the case.

 

[dodgeyhack]

Re: Approaches for dealing with 'electronic devices off'

Any electronic device generates an electro magnetic field when it is on.
It doesn't need to be outputting a signal for communications to create interference.
Luckily devices these days run on very low power so are less likely to cause problems, there is still the potential though.

Turning the screen off or puting devices on standby is simply turning off one part of the system as a whole. Other parts are still running.

You may be interested in reading Boeing's take on the matter, including some documented incidences of interference from PEDs
Aero 10 - Interference from Electronic Devices

 

[pat25d]

Re: Approaches for dealing with 'electronic devices off'

It's hilarious how much some people on here want to have the rules enforced even when FAs don't care.

Im sure you all go to the gate at the time on the board instead of waiting in the lounge a bit longer, because that's the rule!

 

[medhead]

When flying qantas I get to the gate before the time on the board. That way I can at least be at the front of the stampede.


Sent from the Throne

 

[pat25d]

Re: Approaches for dealing with 'electronic devices off'

And I'd respect the rules much more if they provided believable reasons why.

I wonder how people would react if we were banned from reading newspapers because of the chance they could spontaneously combust.

 

[Homer]

Re: Approaches for dealing with 'electronic devices off'

It's hilarious how much some people on here want to have the rules enforced even when FAs don't care.

Obviously some (most) FA's do care but it's irrelevant what the FA's think anyway. If the FA's designed the planes there would likely be no seat belts or oxygen masks but lots of space for makeup application...

 

[pat25d]

Re: Approaches for dealing with 'electronic devices off'

Obviously some (most) FA's do care but it's irrelevant what the FA's think anyway. If the FA's designed the planes there would likely be no seat belts or oxygen masks but lots of space for makeup application...

I doubt the plane engineers are the ones setting the electronic devices rule.

They are more likely to be made by someone whose experience in radio communications interference is 2 minutes skimming some Wikipedia articles.