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SALT LAKE CITY — The next time you board a commercial airline, no doubt you'll be asked to turn off all portable electronic devices. That's standard procedure.
But just how much damage can an individual do if they accidentally left their cell phone or other electronic device on during take-off and landing?
I've never heard a report of an airline incident caused by someone leaving on their cell phone or failing to turn off some device. Indeed, if there were a real danger, my guess is security people likely would seize all of them and give them back when the flight ends. But they don't.
CNN Money reports a regulator for the Federal Communications Commission thinks it's about time passengers be able to use e-readers, portable video game systems or other devices during take off and landing.
The FCC banned the use of in-flight phones in 1991. And the FAA has said it's concerned about electronic signals disrupting flight instruments. Last week, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski brought the issue to light, calling for greater use of devices during flights.
In a letter to an FAA administrator, Genachowski wrote: "This review comes at a time of tremendous innovation, as mobile devices are increasingly interwoven in our daily lives."
Charles Leocha of Consumer Travel Alliance said, "It kind of bothers consumers and passengers, not so much the fact they can't use their cell phones, but the fact they can't use any electronic devices."
It kind of bothers passengers, not so much the fact they can't use their cell phones, but the fact they can't use any electronic devices.
–Charles Leocha
But the new outlook still doesn't include cell phones, so don't plan on making a call during your next long-distance flight. The FAA is looking more into tablets and other mobile devices.
Boeing and other leading airplane researchers and developers insist that electronics have caused irregularities and problems with navigation equipment.
At a special test chamber outside Seattle, engineers laid out a variety of mobile devices, then scanned the room for RF interference or "noise." Within seconds, that noise started popping up in red.
Boeing technical engineer Bruce Donaham said, "There is a potential for these signals to cause interference to the radio (on the plane)."
He said it may or may not be a serious situation and here's why: Most commercial planes today are designed to travel through heavy electromagnetic zones and have shields to prevent electromagnetic signals inside the plane from traveling out. Even wi-fi on board aircraft has been deemed perfectly safe.
But Dave Carson, an associate technical operator for Boeing, explained, "Certainly one device in the right spot and the right time could cause interference. But when you have multiple devices, it does add up."
#poll
People we talked to at Salt Lake International Airport had mixed feelings about the ban on electronic devices.
"I would imagine that it could cause interference, so I think it's fine they have to be off," said air traveler Morgan Hole.
Another airline passenger, Brett Stagg, said, "I think it's smart to do for takeoff because they want you to pay attention to everything and what they're saying. But for landing, maybe not so much."
A woman named Sari said, "I think landing, it's probably necessary to do. From what I know and what I hear, it doesn't affect the airplanes."
While not turning your iPad completely off may not cause your next flight's navigation system to crash, it's not likely that the system will change anytime soon, even though the head of the FCC says it should.
Over the years, I've heard the real reason for keeping electronic devices off include:
- Encouraging passengers to use the pay phones on aircraft
- Getting passengers to pay attention to the safety briefings
It's very likely that in 20 to 30 years, passengers will be allowed to talk on cell phones during an entire flight. But for now, they must turn them off until the aircraft reaches 10,000 feet.
