Turn Off Your Cell Phone In Flight

[Geico266]

Okay, you might think this is a warning to turn off electrical devises during flight like the commercial boys want us to do, but you would be wrong.

When you fly CC the phone is hunting for cell towers and hense uses more battery power. If you need your phone at the end of the day and it would normally have power to spare you might be surprised to learn your phone is dead. Don't ask how I found this out. I even went so far as to replace the perfectly good battery.....twice before a buddy told me what was going on. Okay, so I'm a slow learner, but now I turn the phone off and I have plenty of battery left at the end of a CC day.

Obviously, if you plug your phone into the AC adapter your fine.

Just thought you would like to know.

Now arn't you glad you clicked on this very informative thread? Now you have something to talk about when hanger flying this weekend.

[scard]

YEP!! Some things should just be left to local lore for others to find out by experience . This darn knowledge base we're building here... before long all the mystery will be gone. Thanks Doug.

[jrsites]

I've heard that if you have a BlackBerry, you should turn off the radio before flying, in addition to turning the device off itself. I guess same would apply for any PDA/Smartphone which allows you to turn the radio off separately.

I usually do the above when riding on the airlines, but when just putting around locally I leave everything on. It's a product of my tendency to do mental FMEAs on everything (I'm a geek, I know ). I have this crazy thought that it would be terrible if i was in an accident and my phone was within reach, but my fingers were too mangled to be able to push the tiny buttons necessary to turn on my BlackBerry and then turn on it's radio. I just keep thinking how horrible it would be to have a mode of communication sitting right in front of me, but not be able to use it. Yeah, I know it's crazy.

[Ironflight]

I carry both a personal cell phone and a government Blackberry, and I am terrible about remembering to turn them off when I go flying! Sure enough, I have discovered the quick drain on battery power if the cell phone is in "search" mode - I usually remember to kill it when I am going to be flying all day. I've developed a "now worries" attitude about the cell phone (other than the battery drain) - but the Blackberry? Wow, that thing puts out some incredible interference in the audio frequencies! Anyone who has every heard one bleeding onto a telecon knows what I am talking about. When my BB starts to sync itself up (data), you can hear it chattering away on the intercom just the same. That usually reminds me to kill the transmitter until I land. I don't know why it's different than the cell phone, but it sure is!

Paul

[N941WR]

Paul,

Is your BB one of the secure ones they issue to Fed law enforcement i.e., is it encrypted? That might have something to do with your interference. My non-government BB never caused my any problems that I now of.

[BlackRV7]

My iphone is a serious intercom interruptus when it starts gettting smart.......or is that me being dumb in not turning it off so Kahuna couldn't call me, while I was airborne the other day, to ask a tax question

[Ironflight]

Originally Posted by N941WR

Paul,

Is your BB one of the secure ones they issue to Fed law enforcement i.e., is it encrypted? .

I can't tell you that, or I'd have to......

No, sorry - I can't tell you becasue I have no idea. They give me the device, I carry it, I use it - I try not to get too deep into it, as it dogs me 24/7!

(I suspect that it is not encrypted - pretty ordinary - we don't do "fancy" when it comes to our IT stuff)

Paul

Originally Posted by Ironflight

I carry both a personal cell phone and a government Blackberry, and I am terrible about remembering to turn them off when I go flying! Sure enough, I have discovered the quick drain on battery power if the cell phone is in "search" mode - I usually remember to kill it when I am going to be flying all day. I've developed a "now worries" attitude about the cell phone (other than the battery drain) - but the Blackberry? Wow, that thing puts out some incredible interference in the audio frequencies! Anyone who has every heard one bleeding onto a telecon knows what I am talking about. When my BB starts to sync itself up (data), you can hear it chattering away on the intercom just the same. That usually reminds me to kill the transmitter until I land. I don't know why it's different than the cell phone, but it sure is!

Paul

Interesting... As an airline pilot, I can tell you that there have been multiple documented cases of electronic devices interfering with communication and/or navigation equipment. A few even caused autopilots to do funny things. When these events happen, the airplane manufacturer usually buys the actual device (assuming it can be identified) from the person who was operating it -- for testing purposes. The problem is that they can never duplicate the interference in the test environment.

Is it a problem? Maybe, maybe not. Who knows. But I can tell you that I get extremely irritated when I'm riding in the back of a big airplane (particularly a fly-by-wire variety, or on any variety during an autoland) and the businessman sitting next to me just has to turn on his phone/blackberry on approach so he can get his emails a few minutes earlier than everyone else. It's just not worth the potential risk. I could say something, but everyone knows my industry favors customer retention over most rules/regulations.

[Ironflight]

Originally Posted by Geoff

But I can tell you that I get extremely irritated when I'm riding in the back of a big airplane (particularly a fly-by-wire variety, or on any variety during an autoland) and the businessman sitting next to me just has to turn on his phone/blackberry on approach so he can get his emails a few minutes earlier than everyone else. It's just not worth the potential risk. I could say something, but everyone knows my industry favors customer retention over most rules/regulations.

I agree 100% with you! I am always the first to turn off my transmitters on a commercial jet, because (a) I get reminded by the announcement, (b) I am a habitual abider by the rules, and (c) I coule be puttign others at risk than just myself (although I beleive the risk to navigation systems to be extremely remote....). Maybe I need to start doing my own "cabin announcement" in my RV to remind myself.....

Paul

[sonex293]

I remember listening a few weeks ago on a podcast about the legality of using a cellphone while airborne. From what I've found, it looks like the FCC rules makes it illegal. Am I out to lunch on this?

--
Michael Crowder


FCC 22.925
Revised as of October 1, 2007

Sec. 22.925 Prohibition on airborne operation of cellular telephones.

Cellular telephones installed in or carried aboard airplanes, balloons or
any other type of aircraft must not be operated while such aircraft are
airborne (not touching the ground). When any aircraft leaves the ground, all
cellular telephones on board that aircraft must be turned off. The following
notice must be posted on or near each cellular telephone installed in any
aircraft:

"The use of cellular telephones while this aircraft is airborne is
prohibited by FCC rules, and the violation of this rule could result in
suspension of service and/or a fine. The use of cellular telephones while
this aircraft is on the ground is subject to FAA regulations."

http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2...7cfr22.935.pdf

Also, there is some good info here...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_phones_on_aircraft