Aircraft and turning off your 'electronic devices'

Aircraft and turning off your 'electronic devices'

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Discussion

Bushmaster

Original Poster:

27,427 posts

280 months

Saturday 21st February 2009
quotequote all
You've all heard it during the saftey briefing : '...and please turn off all electronic devices...'


Well, by mistake I left a mobile phone on during a flight. We didn't crash.

Also accidentally on purpose I have left my GPS on during flights to see where we are.

So, what's the deal with them?

DoubleYellow

1,288 posts

190 months

Saturday 21st February 2009
quotequote all
Probably similar to mobile phones on filling station forecourts. Something could happen but the chances are slim.

Only time I could see a problem is if 200+ people on a flight all have phones, laptops etc. turned on at one. Might disturb aircraft equipment on the same frequency.

IforB

9,840 posts

230 months

Saturday 21st February 2009
quotequote all
It only needs to happen once. It is a catch all rule, but believe me, there are electronic devices that stuff things up. Mobiles can affect the instruments and are always picked up on the intercom signal. Put your mobile next to a speaker or radio and listen to the "dit did a dit" noise that comes from it. Imagine that in your ears all the time and you'll understand that it is a pain and does effect systems.

So please turn it off.

GPS's will make the square route of f'all difference, but it is easier to ban everything than to read a list out of what is alright or not. Cabin Crew will default to a now answer simply as they usually won't be sure, so the safe thing to say is just "no".

Edited by IforB on Saturday 21st February 19:05

AndyBe

6,640 posts

208 months

Saturday 21st February 2009
quotequote all
Ok - but Mp3 players and computers ?

catso

14,792 posts

268 months

Saturday 21st February 2009
quotequote all
Pretty sure I read that some US airlines allow mobile use on board? (won't work at 30,000ft though) Just like some Hospitals do, don't think there's any actual problem.

Pesty

42,655 posts

257 months

Saturday 21st February 2009
quotequote all
Some air lines have now relaxed this.

As have some hospitals recently, apart from in areas like ITU/ICU.

Edited by Pesty on Saturday 21st February 19:13

Urban_Ninja

1,885 posts

190 months

Saturday 21st February 2009
quotequote all
I can understand the bit about phones interfering.

but what the hell is the reason for turning a MP3 player or nintendo DS off, JUST when your taking off. If its ok for me to use it in flight its ok for me to use it during take off.
they dont interfere with anything cos they dont transmitt like a phone does. so why do it

Zod

35,295 posts

259 months

Saturday 21st February 2009
quotequote all
[quote=IforB]It only needs to happen once. It is a catch all rule, but believe me, there are electronic devices that stuff things up. Mobiles can affect the instruments and are always picked up on the intercom signal. Put your mobile next to a speaker or radio and listen to the "dit did a dit" noise that comes from it. Imagine that in your ears all the time and you'll understand that it is a pain and does effect systems.

[quote]How odd thenthat they are changing the rules to aloow mobile use.

Incidentally, no dit-a-dit with a 3G signal.

IforB

9,840 posts

230 months

Saturday 21st February 2009
quotequote all
There is a problem with mobiles. The further they get from a base station, the more energy they put out, so what some airlines have done is install base stations on the aircraft which then uplink via satellite.

Get above 3,000 ish feet and the mobile has a bit of a paddy and ramps up to full power. Instruments aren't that sensitive nowadays, but why take the risk? On a fully Cat 3C approach in awful weather with zero visibility the last thing you want is even the tinyiest risk of any deflection as the first thing you'll know about it is when you find yourself parked into the nearest school with your backside in flames.

So turning electronic guff off is a small price to pay really.

IforB

9,840 posts

230 months

Saturday 21st February 2009
quotequote all
Urban_Ninja said:
I can understand the bit about phones interfering.

but what the hell is the reason for turning a MP3 player or nintendo DS off, JUST when your taking off. If its ok for me to use it in flight its ok for me to use it during take off.
they dont interfere with anything cos they dont transmitt like a phone does. so why do it
#

When you have ear phones on can you hear the PA for emergency announcements? No, you can't, so headphones off please.


Racefan_uk

2,935 posts

257 months

Saturday 21st February 2009
quotequote all
I've had the chance to fly in a small private jet on two occasions for work and every time there have been four passengers each with their mobile phones left turned on and neither time did we fall out of the sky.

If something that small can stay in the air you're not telling me that a large passenger plane will be more secure.
It's a loads of rubbish!

cs02rm0

13,812 posts

192 months

Saturday 21st February 2009
quotequote all
The TVs in the seats must be very special ones. scratchchin

Pesty

42,655 posts

257 months

Saturday 21st February 2009
quotequote all
I like the logic of you guys.

We didnt crash so its rubish

Wonder what you would be saying to yourselves on the way down if the plane did fall out of the sky because a vital piece of equipments shileding failed wink

edit for the record I think its safe also because everything is shielded, but why risk it?

Edited by Pesty on Saturday 21st February 19:25

Eric Mc

122,068 posts

266 months

Saturday 21st February 2009
quotequote all
More and more airliners use el;ectronic fly-by-wire control systems rather than direct electro/hydraulic systems.

I would expect that manufacturers and airlines are more concerned about the use of mobile phones on these fly-by-wire airliners than in airliners which have more traditional contol systems.

For the record, ALL Boeing airliners (with the exception of the 777 and the yet to fly 787) do NOT use fly-by-wire.

ALL Airbus airliners (with the exception of old A300s and A310s DO use fly-by-wire.

I am not sure if any biz jets are yet fly-by-wire controlled.

Antony Moxey

8,092 posts

220 months

Saturday 21st February 2009
quotequote all
I quite like the idea of having everything switched off. Are people really that dependent that they can't do without their phone or laptop for a couple of hours.

Perish the thought of the day mobiles are allowed to be used all the time, imagine how much fun that's going to be sat next to someone with one clamped to their ear for the duration of the flight.

King Herald

23,501 posts

217 months

Saturday 21st February 2009
quotequote all
AndyBe said:
Ok - but Mp3 players and computers ?
They have to have a shut off point, rather than arguing the toss that a Nintendo DS might be okay, or not, so they say "If it has an on-off switch, switch it off".

Now if a mobile phone really could down a plane, droves of terrorists would be laughing all the way to the T-mobile shop.

hehe

anonymous-user

55 months

Saturday 21st February 2009
quotequote all
Antony Moxey said:
I quite like the idea of having everything switched off. Are people really that dependent that they can't do without their phone or laptop for a couple of hours.

Perish the thought of the day mobiles are allowed to be used all the time, imagine how much fun that's going to be sat next to someone with one clamped to their ear for the duration of the flight.
Too late I'm afraid! http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5298332.stm


IforB

9,840 posts

230 months

Saturday 21st February 2009
quotequote all
Since none of you here (except me) have ever held a phone next to the ILS/VOR aerial and seen the effect, then I respectfully ask you to simply do as you are asked.

Whether electronics are shielded or not is irrelevant, the simple fact is that there is a risk and aviation safety is all about minimising risk as much as possible. So turn the stuff off, it's only a few minutes out of your life.

Edited by IforB on Saturday 21st February 19:35

anonymous-user

55 months

Saturday 21st February 2009
quotequote all
IforB said:
Since none of you here (except me) have ever held a phone next to the ILS/VOR aerial and seen the effect, then I respectfully ask you to simply do as you are asked.

Whether electronics are shielded or not is irrelevant, the simple fact is that there is a risk and aviation safety is all about minimising risk as much as possible. So turn the stuff off, it's only a few minutes out of your life.

Edited by IforB on Saturday 21st February 19:35
Fair enough, but how do you explain the Ryanair article I've posted to above?

Steameh

3,155 posts

211 months

Saturday 21st February 2009
quotequote all
There was mumblings about the crossair flight 498 crash maybe being related to a mobile phone.

No mention in the official cause though.