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

[James McKenzie]

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?
>>>
>>> 
>>>
>>>      
>>>
>
>  
>