FAA publication Prohibition on Personal Use of Electronic Devices on the Flight Deck

[underfire]

Prohibition on Personal Use of Electronic Devices on the Flight Deck is now available:

Discussion: Operators should be aware of the following:
• This prohibition includes any personal use by flightcrew members of these devices, including, but not limited to, talking, texting, bidding for schedules, reading or accessing the Internet. In other words, all personal use is prohibited, whether or not the device is in “airplane mode”.
• “FAA approved operational procedures” (e.g., use of electronic flight bags, digitized charts or manuals) are those procedures that have been developed by the air carrier and have been approved/accepted, as appropriate, by the FAA.
• This prohibition does not apply to a person occupying a flight deck jumpseat.
• The prohibition applies regardless of any “ownership” test. The rule does not differentiate between devices owned by the air carrier or the flightcrew member. Rather, the rule requires a “use” test.
These devices (regardless of ownership) may not be used for personal use during aircraft operation but may be used only in accordance with FAA approved operational procedures, as defined above.



http://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/USAFAA/2014/05/21/file_attachments/294307/InFO14006.pdf

[compressor stall]

Ah well. Back to the newspaper then. ;)

[grounded27]

Just had a conversation about the benefits of smartphones ESP. the camera. They are an invaluable tool to record abnormal conditions so they can later be documented and reported with accuracy to help both a correct PIREP that is invaluable to maintenance entry and safety reports if needed afterward. Not FAA approved but certainly a fine tool that falls within reasonable duty. This broad stroke is not approved by me, there are much more serious issues with the children of magenta that I would address first! This publication is similar to the way one may treat their child for texting while driving, common frigging sense, should not be tolerated.

[nitpicker330]

So if you are flying along and wish to add a calendar entry in your iPhone you cannot do it BUT it would be perfectly ok to find a Pen and paper write the note down and place it in your pocket???

Both require brain thoughts/activity that is removed from the job of flying the Aircraft for a minute or two......

More BS.

What the hell happened to plain common sense????
You can't legislate for stupidity, if someone is stupid enough to distract themselves for so long as to be an operational problem then no amount of rules are going to change that.

[Luke SkyToddler]

Time to set up a new business venture selling paperback Sudoku books outside the flight dispatch office I guess :ok:

On the bright side, I didn't spend $100 on Logten Pro ...

[haughtney1]

No, don't worry Pilot colleague, Im just gonna hop out of my seat and sit back here on the jumpseat so I can send a text to the missus, do you need me to order anything of ebay while I'm at it? :E

[PENKO]

Ok, back to reading literature, studying manuals, sudoku...all of which tax my brain more than the silly magazines and newspapers that I read on my iPad!

I start to understand now why some Americans don't like their 'guvnmnt' and 'washington', why they want to bear arms :) :)

[dubbleyew eight]

in oz it is rumoured that a pilot with an iPhone and ozrunways in urgent need of a frequency due to dodging anvil heads may place said iPhone in the windscreen so it can get a gps fix and use ozrunways to get an ATC frequency quickly.

oh well back to leaning down in the map case, fumbling for the chart and .....

[compressor stall]

I assume this is the knee - jerk reaction to the two guys in the US who reportedly flew over and past their destination a couple of years ago as they were engrossed in scheduling discussion?

[aterpster]

nitpicker:

So if you are flying along and wish to add a calendar entry in your iPhone you cannot do it BUT it would be perfectly ok to find a Pen and paper write the note down and place it in your pocket???

Both require brain thoughts/activity that is removed from the job of flying the Aircraft for a minute or two......

You can't play "Angry Birds" on your paper. Think additive behavior from childhood circa 1995.

[nitpicker330]

I'm sure there are plenty of other activities one could do in the flight deck without your iPad that don't involve Aviation........:O

Like I said, you can't legislate against stupidity, "stupid is as stupid does....."

[underfire]

I assume this is the knee - jerk reaction to the two guys in the US who reportedly flew over and past their destination a couple of years ago as they were engrossed in scheduling discussion?

Of course, 1.5 hours past destination on a 3 hour flight...must have been quite the conversation.

Interesting to see how the airlines using the Surface tablets can the multi-tasking features..