Begin forwarded message: From: "Andrew D. Swart" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: March 6, 2006 3:39:25 AM EST To: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [email protected] Subject: RE: [IP] 2 comments on cell phones in the air Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
...Commercial jet GPSs use, I believe, and external antenna outside the metal body of the aircraft in any event.
For various reasons, including the growing popularity of using portable GPS devices, GPS antennas in smaller general aviation (GA) aircraft are often found inside the plane, but under the slanted front windshield. Very different from an external antenna that is presumably well-shielded from passengers and their toys. The paper's reference to a single instance of GPS interference in a GA aircraft doesn't seem all that useful without additional information. Not only am I curious about antenna proximity to the cell phone, but it would be useful to know whether the GPS unit was "fooled" into calculating a false location, or reported the loss of signal integrity (GPS receivers certified for instrument approaches have signal integrity monitoring). As a pilot, I would find research more useful if it directly looked for adverse effects on common aircraft navigation equipment from non-aviation, onboard transmitters (whether in the cabin or in cargo areas). Perhaps it would lead to revised standards for navigation equipment installations, and fewer concerns that an innocently overlooked device could harm us. Andrew Swart ------------------------------------- You are subscribed as [email protected] To manage your subscription, go to http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ip Archives at: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/
