You can always fly with Netjets....on board phone use is free of extra charge
But for all those that still think the mobile phone off business is a way of making an extra buck:
- We conducted test with a mobile phone next to the fire detector in a bagage compartment. As soon as we called the phone, the fire detection system came alive and fire warnings were flashing in the cockpit. Procedure for this is an emergency descent and immediate landing, since we had no fire extinguishers there. Not a pleasant way to interrupt your flight I can assure you!
- You know that sound you hear when your phone is close to a stereo set on the speakers. That is the same we here on our communication with Air Traffic Control if somebody uses a phone close by the cockpit. Not pleasant if you try to somebody on the radio.
- Apart from these personnal experiences there are many other facts available today which prove that phones and planes donīt mix. Fact of the matter is we are so addicted to our phones today. Itīs almost like the smoker who tries to have a quick drag in the toilet (thatīs actually coming from a smoker who can just control himself a bit more). Nowadays I just leave my phone off for the whole workday including the turn-arounds (I do get my sigaret in between though, hehehe), because I just forget to turn them off otherwise and get reminded by that nice noise on the radio. It is a liberating feeling to be unreachable the whole day, you should all try it!
Btw, the reason your phone does not work in flight is because of the speed and altitude. The signal to the ground based stations gets confused. The only usable phone is a satelite phone. Your phone does however start to be usable again when we get stabalizer on final approach close to the ground. That is a bad time to find out about the effects of it on the navigation. Do you want to try it out, I sure as heck donīt! Cheers
