I read that there is talk of allowing cell phone usage during flights. Me, I am very much against it. I would hate to sit next to passengers yakking away for hours. Some people are unbearably loud on their phones. People compare it to being in a public place, but there is a BIG difference: you can't walk away. It would be horrible to get stuck next to babbling strangers for a few hours. There is also talk of allowing it, but from the galley/public gathering areas only. Even with that, I can see problems if someone sitting by a window keeps getting calls and repeatedly asks you to move so he can go to the cell phone area. PC/email/PDA/blackberry/personal DVD/mini video games/iPod are all ok by me. But cell phones? No way. What does everyone think?
i've only been on a plane once but since i plan to fly again in the future, im against it. after all if i'm on a flight thats say 4 hrs, the last thing i want is to hear all about someones life for 4 hrs b/c they wont shut up on their damn phone.
I wonder if there will be a market for a device that blocks cell phone reception within a 10-foot radius. Hmmmm...
They have broad-spectrum jammers. Readily available in level IV armored vehicles so that bombs cannot be triggered remotely as the vehicle passes by. It's funny to sometimes see dignitaries' limos cruise by on TV and hear a whine or beep as the microphones pick up the jamming signal. That would be a bit of an overkill for this application, but what the heck, it's better than the alternative.
I am completely against it. I am annoyed as hell to be seated next to someone at a restaurant who is yapping away on a cell phone, let alone be on a plane that you can be stuck on for hours. Maybe if people would learn to talk at a lower level and not draw so much attention to themselves by raising their voices so loudly when they talk, it could be tolerated. Maybe impose talk times, like 5 minutes per hour, that way you wouldn't be exposed to it all of the time. Have everyone talk at the same time so there are no random loud voices here and there.
For all those that are for this, they have never sat on a plane that was grounded for two hours (Where cell phone use was OK). Something about cell phones that makes people want to yell out their conversations (Like they are SUCH a friggen important person). NO! NO! NO!!! I SAY!
Most of the guys that I know, use their cell phones while flying (have own planes). However, I've noticed that my cell phone usually says no service when I'm at altitude, so it's unusable. The law is pretty clear, you can't use them. It isn't an FAA reg, it's an FCC reg for some reason. The fines are pretty high, I've heard 10k if you get caught. I don't think that cell use interfers with GPS naviagtion, but may have an impact on the VOR/DME naviagtion systems. Art
The reason that its FCC instead of FAA is because their use has little to do with nav systems. You have to think 3-dimensionally to see the reason why. When you're on the ground, there's little question as to which cell tower you're nearest to, worst case you might be equidistant to 2 or 3. No big deal. And, even when you're driving, you're moving slow enough not to cause a problem. When you're at 35,000 feet, you're equidistant to tens of cell towers, all of them trying to route your call. It severly overburdens the network, especially if thousands of people are making calls at the same time. Also, since you're moving so fast, you move in and out of range so quickly, that the companies have trouble logging who was in what zone, and when, so they have trouble billing you. The reason this issue is coming up is because the airlines are testing small cell repeaters on board of aircraft, so that all calls within the plane are handled locally, eliminating all of the havoc on the ground.
I design notched crystal filters that are used in VOR/DME systems for private and commercial aviation. The center frequencies are between 10.7 & 25MHz. I find it hard to believe that a cell phone that operates in the GHz range will screw up any on-board NAV equipment. I think it's a ploy to get airline customers to use the overpriced in-seat phones.
That is the exact same explanation that I got 10 years ago when I got my Pilot License, billing issues. If I recall correctly, my buddy got a letter explaining the issues along with a kind request that he'd refrain from using the cellphone while flying.
i am against the cell phone use also. most digital phones with screw up the newer avionics in the aircraft. also i dare one of you to get any jamming device on an aircraft and see how long you will be in jail for, if you dont crash the aircraft first. i have been in the cockpit and in the aft compartment in various aircraft with a cell phone and seen the readings jump on diagnostic equipment and various displays.( for testing purposes ). older private aircraft ( old prop aircraft) are not afected. newer aircraft do NOT like the fields the phones crate around them, especially when they first ring or during the "burst" when you make a call. makes ya wonder what those waves are doing to your cells and bone marrow, doesnt it. those of you with electric guitars should hold a phone near the pick-ups and see what it does....... when it rings you would be AMAZED what the guitar "hears".
I had a phone about a year ago, I think by LG, that would create static on my car radio when it was ringing. Alot of times I would have it lying in the seat next to me and on silent mode, but I always knew I was getting a call because the radio would go nutz.
So you mean when they told us cell phones would interfere with the plane's navigation devices, they were lying?! LYING?! Our government LIED to us?!! Well, once they've said they're "considering" it, that means it's a done deal. Just so long as the pilots aren't allowed to gab on their phones!
SHUT THE FREAKIN PHONE OFF TILL YOUR FLIGHT IS OVER..SIMPLE UNLESS YOUR ON AIR FORCE 1 THIS THREAD IS A NO BRAINER............
Very good explanation! Although I've always known there's no direct danger in using a cellphone during a flight I've never known why they wouldn't allow it until now. Thank you! /Peter
I say a big fat no to this as well. While i think it would be nice to be able to use a cell phone in flight as long as people were respectful and would keep their conversations to a minimum, we all know there is no way this would ever happen. People are growing more self-centered and more disrespectful every second and allowing everyone to make cell phone useable in the air would totally ruin the flying experience from a passenger's point of view. I have no input on the plane and its electronic systems as i'm not very familiar with them. But all these wireless signals constatly buzzing through the air can't be good anyway.
