Originally Posted by ec135driver
Hello again ppruners, once again I find myself the horses mouth re: the mobile phone setting off the igniters.
This is not a crewroom myth "It was me!"
Aircraft concerned was actually an AS355F1, and happened exactly as Bladecrack described. Made me jump to be sure and was repeatable i.e got someone to ring the phone while I stood on the skid step alongside the engine bay - sure enough each time it went off, so did the igniters.
Our company policy has not been shaped by that incident, but by a report (I will find it and post it)
I try never to anger the Gods of aviation by doing anything that MIGHT just be a problem - so it's phones off in my helicopter.
i don't question what happened to you, but i doubt that it had a seriously affect on aviation safety in your company or for that sake in any other company.
i believe this "turn off your equipment containing radio transmitters" is a fashion issue that started a long time ago. the rumour makes you believe that the aircraft will fall from the sky if you text somebody from 30k feet. just as passengers believe the sky is filled with holes which makes the aircraft bounce and turning some stomachs up and down. i guess the most dangerous situation is that the captain insists on answering a phone call when being on short final during bad weather...
