Interesting thread --- couple of comments: 1. United now allows cell phone usage on the ground prior to closing the door to leave the gate and allows cells phones to be used while taxiing to the gate after landing. Not aware of any reported problems.
2. According to avionics manufacturers, the terminal area is considered to be the most severe environment for an aircraft, with numerous radiators all around --- other aircraft comms, ground personnel, radars, weather and terminal radars, etc... 3. Numerous reports have been published regarding cell phones being used in aircraft. (On a recent flight, a flight attendant announced "would the person who left their cell phone in the lavatory please push the call button". Don't know of any reports of adverse effects, although there may have been some. 4. I fly frequently -- many people are using noise canceling headsets during taxi and takeoff (including me), and I've seen many people continue to use ipods and other electronic products (Blackberry's??) during that time. Michael Hopkins Manager, Customer Technical Center Process Instruments Division Thermo Fisher Scientific One Lowell Research Center Lowell, MA 01852 Tel: +1 978 275 0800 ext. 334 Fax: +1 978 275 0850 [email protected] From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Ken Javor Sent: Friday, February 16, 2007 11:29 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: Noise canceling headsets This is not a dissension from the group consensus that personal electronic devices (PEDs) need to be turned off during critical phases of flight, but it is a closer examination of what is really happening. The original event that triggered the action relative to PED operation was the final approach of a commercial air transport under autopilot control and reacting to a VOR or similar ground-based navigation signal. The PED interfered with the ground-based signal, and that caused the aircraft to "think" it was in the wrong place. The aircraft lurched in response to the autopilot commands, and the pilot wrested control away >from the autopilot and landed safely. The important point is that the aircraft was some distance from the airfield, therefore the level of the navigation signal received would have been attenuated by the distance, as compared to voice commands from the tower during taxi operations. The likelihood of PEDs interfering with voice commands during taxi operations seems remote at best. The real reason for prohibiting PED operation during taxi operations seems to be that it would be difficult to allow PED operation on the ground and then require them to be turned off just prior to takeoff. Compliance would be much lower. - This message is from the IEEE Product Safety Engineering Society emc-pstc discussion list. Website: http://www.ieee-pses.org/ To post a message to the list, send your e-mail to [email protected] Instructions: http://listserv.ieee.org/request/user-guide.html List rules: http://www.ieee-pses.org/listrules.html For help, send mail to the list administrators: Scott Douglas [email protected] Mike Cantwell [email protected] For policy questions, send mail to: Jim Bacher: [email protected] David Heald: [email protected] All emc-pstc postings are archived and searchable on the web at: http://www.ieeecommunities.org/emc-pstc - This message is from the IEEE Product Safety Engineering Society emc-pstc discussion list. Website: http://www.ieee-pses.org/ To post a message to the list, send your e-mail to [email protected] Instructions: http://listserv.ieee.org/request/user-guide.html List rules: http://www.ieee-pses.org/listrules.html For help, send mail to the list administrators: Scott Douglas [email protected] Mike Cantwell [email protected] For policy questions, send mail to: Jim Bacher: [email protected] David Heald: [email protected] All emc-pstc postings are archived and searchable on the web at: http://www.ieeecommunities.org/emc-pstc ______________________________________________________________________ This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System. For more information please visit http://www.messagelabs.com/email ______________________________________________________________________
