A320 fcom fcb electronic interference from portable equipment carried on by passengers:
airlines often wonder whether they should allow passengers to operate electronic devices in the cabin without any limit. Federal aviation regulation (far) section 91.19 allows passengers to operate: • portable voice recorders • hearing aids • heart pacemakers • electric shavers • any other portable electronic device that the operator of the aircraft has determined will not cause interference with the navigation or communication system of the aircraft on which it is to be used. It is obvious that the myriad portable devices that now exists or that may be available in the future cannot be tested. ‐ as far as aircraft specific electrical flight controls and engine control computers on airbus aircraft are concerned, there is no chance of their operation being affected by passenger-operated electronic devices, due to the high level of protection applied to these systems. ‐ nevertheless, this question arises for navigation and communication receivers and is applicable to any aircraft. A study has been conducted by an rtca (radio technical commission for aeronautics) special commitee. ‐ the conclusion is that the probability of a passenger-operated device interfering with the ils localizer during a typical flight is about one in a million. Airbus industrie recommendations is that no portable device should be used during take-off and landing. ‐ concerning radio phones airbus industrie recommends to prohibit the use of those devices.