[ltp] Re: Linux-Thinkpad digest, Vol 1 #632 - 27 msgs

[morpheus]

Actually, FAA regulations allow the airlines to decide for themselves
what devices are safe and when they can be used.  Many US airlines today
have a policy allowing passengers to use cell phones until the door is
closed for push-off and during taxi after landing.  Notably, American
Airlines announces before final approach that customers can use
cellphones once the aircraft has landed, so make sure to take them out
of your bags in the overhead if you want to use them...

On Fri, 2004-10-01 at 23:57, James McKenzie wrote:
> Morpheus:
> 
> I agree that avonics should not suffer from interference from a simple 
> PDA, but that's the story and the pilot is sticking to it.  I find it 
> quite interesting that no "phone" devices can be used in flight except 
> the one that is provided by the airline, and that service is quite 
> expensive (try about $6.50/min. for some services.)  I find it quite 
> interesting to get onboard, in coach, to find not just one person, but 
> several using cellular phones, when it is 'airline' policy that NO 
> cellular devices are to be utilized once you enter the cabin (FAA 
> regulations.)  Of course, it would take a weird set of events to cause 
> substantial interference with the radios on an aircraft.  I think that 
> the FAA is erring on the side of extreme safety.  However, I do have a 
> Dilbert cartoon where the PHB causes an aircraft to crash because he 
> incorrectly setup his Excel spreadsheet and decided to 'fix' it while in 
> flight.  That my friends would take some doing....
> 
> James McKenzie
> 
> morpheus wrote:
> 
> >Of course, a cell phone left on on the flight deck will cause an
> >annoying buzzing in the pilot's headphones...but you'd have to be a
> >pretty bad pilot to crash the plane because of that!
> >
> >On Fri, 2004-10-01 at 23:29, James McKenzie wrote:
> >  
> >
> >>Brian:
> >>
> >>Unfortunately, no.  This was a while back, just after the Palm Pilot was 
> >>introduced to the market.  They are not the only 'inoccuous" device that 
> >>has caused interference.  When I used to fly internationally during the 
> >>90s, the airline I flew on banned the use of wireless mice as well as 
> >>WalkmanFM units.  This, of course, could be an "Urban Legend" but I 
> >>could not find it at www.urbanlegends.com.  Even the use of two-way 
> >>pagers is prohibited, and they use a completely different band than any 
> >>of the radio gear onboard an aircraft.
> >>
> >>James McKenzie
> >>
> >>Brian Beattie wrote:
> >>
> >>    
> >>
> >>>On Fri, 2004-10-01 at 22:58, James McKenzie wrote:
> >>> 
> >>>
> >>>      
> >>>
> >>>>Ken and Morpheus:
> >>>>
> >>>>There is a documented occurance when an Delta pilot was wondering what 
> >>>>happened to his autopilot. 
> >>>>   
> >>>>
> >>>>        
> >>>>
> >>>Can you supply us with this documentation?
> >>>
> >>> 
> >>>
> >>>      
> >>>
> >
> >  
> >