using cell phones in flight

[Jungle Prop]

Cforst513,

Your avatar is giving me nightmares!

 

[Flylo]

Not looking for an answer is just one of my pet peeves. Also being addressed as "Hey" or when some one starts a sentence with "Ok". It makes me think they need a word to jump start their brain to remember what the next word is.

Sorry, I need to go have some morning coffee.... JAFI

Hey, OK.... sounds like you could use a little......ahhh.... coffee, this morning.

.

 

[DJS]

I have for years, occasionally heard a sound come through my headset, sort of a pulsing noise that goes on for a couple seconds every now and then. I've asked other people, including CFI's what those sounds were. Theories included, "no idea, but I've heard that once in a while, too", "uh...maybe static?", etc.

Finally, I was sitting in my office with my cell phone next to my office phone, and my office phone started making the same noise! This happened seconds before my cell phone rang. Aha!

I've never made a point to actually turn off my cell phone when flying, mainly because I once upon a time decided it might be a good safety backup for a dead radio or something. But after seeing the actual effect of the cell phone on nearby "instruments" (office phone, radio in plane), I now turn my cell phone off before getting in the plane. I can always turn it on pretty quickly if I really need it.

As for the laws, when I researched it a couple years ago, there was nothing in any FARs about it; it was only the FCC that was concerned with cell phone use in the air, although I've heard that the real problem was related to analog phones.

 

[ksu_aviator]

Leaving your phone on in flight will kill the battery if you go high enough. Mostly because it is constantly searching for service.

On a related note, DVD players (including dvd drives) can cause irratic ILS indications. Seen it on a King Air 200 once. Of course, the drive has to be in the right place on the aircraft and you have to have the right frequency in the nav for it to do anything, but there is a slim chance it can cause problems.

 

[Ralgha]

As for the laws, when I researched it a couple years ago, there was nothing in any FARs about it

Look at the rule pertaining to "electronic devices".

I've had cell phone interference prevent me from calling ops on the ground over the radio. Some people I've flown with using Bose headsets can hear an operating cell phone in their headset.

 

[sqwkvfr]

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is considering proposals that may eventually allow you to use your own cell phone or wireless data device on airplanes after take off.

Man, I hope that proposal fails. Everywhere you go these days, there's some asshole talking into a cell phone using a voice three or four times louder than necessary...can you imagine a aircraft full of people doing the same?

 

[SWAnnabee]

So let me get this straight. I can bring a cell phone onboard a commercial aircraft that has the potential to screw up navigation equipment and radio reception, causing a potentially unsafe flight situation, but only if I promise to keep it off. I guess we are on the honor code for this. However, nail clippers and matches are extremely dangerous and must be confiscated. Un-freaking-believable.