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View Full Version : Mobile Phones on-board GA a/c


aviatordom
25th Feb 2009, 17:42
Hey all,

I'm going to be going up in a GA aircraft soon, and I want to take photos of the experience, as i forgot to do so on my 1st flying lesson:ugh:

Would I be allowed to use my mobile phone to take pictures up in the air?

Or would this interfere with the radios?

Kind regards,

aviatordom

jxc
25th Feb 2009, 17:50
Hi

Ask your instructor but not normally a problem

Good luck

aviatordom
25th Feb 2009, 18:23
Thankyou for the quick reply jxc:ok:

Marsh Hawk
25th Feb 2009, 18:38
I've taken cell phone pics on a GA piston twin with no ill effects.

Flying Microphone
25th Feb 2009, 18:56
The worst you're likely to experience is an annoying digital clicking as the phone switches between cells and the headset picks it up. I first discovered this after accidentally leaving my phone on during a recent night flight.

Happy flying

L'aviateur
25th Feb 2009, 19:52
I use the camera on my phone also, however recently the 'annoying clicks' occured half way through a call to Radar for FIS; which they commented on and suggested I check to see if a mobile phone is on and switch it off.

Since then have decided to switch it off to prevent a further public bollocking.

callum91
25th Feb 2009, 19:57
I too find the noise over the radio particularly irritating, so I always turn my phone off and ask my passengers to do the same.

jxc
25th Feb 2009, 20:25
I think on most phones now you could just switch it flight mode so not trying get a signal therefore it will stop annoying you in the ears

Cheers

Pilot DAR
25th Feb 2009, 21:01
I took me months to figure out what that funny click buzzing sound sound was every now and again while I was flying. I would be much more interested to assure that the pilot using the phone as either a phone or a camera, was also being an attentive pilot, than to worry about the affect of the phone signals on the safety of a VFR flight.

I'm sure your instructor will fly while you take photos, and thus you can keep your eyes on the road while you're flying. Remember, you're spending your hard earned money to be up there flying, not riding, get as much flying time as you can! If you want to sightsee, deal your way into the back seat of someone else's lesson, then invite them to do the same on yours. You'll also get to learn from their mistakes - and them from yours!

Fly safely and have fun!

Pilot DAR

aviatordom
25th Feb 2009, 21:37
PilotDAR-I'm going to be in the Pilots seat for an hour, and then a friend of mine will be in control for an hour, so luckily I have an hour of sightseeing!

But your right, flying doesn't come cheap so whilst i'm flying i may as-well pay 110% concentration, even though I have an instructor with me!

liam548
26th Feb 2009, 08:50
I use mine all the the time (N95 9GB) stick it on flight mode, no annoying clicks and you can still use the maps and navigation function to get your ground speed in MPH then use convertor to convert to knots.

You can also put your destination in and follow the arrow if you really wanted to!!

And yes get some snaps en route ;)

nannodnai
26th Feb 2009, 12:52
I plead guilty to sending text messages from the plane a few times in the past !

eg :- "Coming over your house soon; look out of window" ! !

No noticeable effect on instruments or navigation.
Is this actually illegal ? Or is it more that it's inadvisable ?

Whopity
26th Feb 2009, 13:44
Is this actually illegal I think you will find this one of the limitations in the phone company's licence to operate a radio based phone system.

Rod1
26th Feb 2009, 14:20
When I was involved in EFB’s (stopped 4 years ago) the use of a mobile in an aircraft in flight was illegal under the telecoms act. Something about swamping the system?

Rod1

Gertrude the Wombat
26th Feb 2009, 14:58
Mobile phones clearly interfere with the VHF COM radio, you can hear it. There's no obvious reason to suppose that they don't also interfere with the VHF NAV radio, which might simply result in the needle pointing the wrong way for all I know - no big deal if you're navigating visually, but not good if in cloud.

IO540
26th Feb 2009, 15:23
I have never come across any substantiated evidence of GSM phones, or any other electronic gadget for that matter, interfering with any navigation avionics in any aircraft.

That said, I wouldn't fly an autopilot-coupled ILS in IMC with my phone (GSM or satellite one) switched on. I know for a fact that my autopilot is sensitive to ground based EM radiation sources.

The interference one can hear in the headset is picked up by the electronics inside ANR headsets, AFAIK.