Mobile phones on aircraft

[X-QUORK]

I am a radio coverage planner for a well known UK mobile (cellphone)operator.

Which systems on a standard passenger carrying aircraft would be affected by mobile phones ?

Most mobiles operate on frequencies in the 900 and 1800 Mhz regions, with a maximum power output of 2 Watts.

My reason for asking is that I've heard of a future system that will be incorporated into aircraft to enable the use of mobiles at all times, obviously via a satellite link, but still using GSM specs within the airframe.

Any thoughts or comments gratefully acknowledged.

[This message has been edited by X-QUORK (edited 05 December 2000).]

[X-QUORK]

Just raising the profile of this thread as I've recently tried to direct Ppruners to it from the Chinook thread in the military pilots section.

[X-QUORK]

And again, this time (fingers crossed) some techies might reply.....

[This message has been edited by X-QUORK (edited 15 December 2000).]

[DB6]

Didn't do anything the other day in the C152 I was flying. Mind you I couldn't hear a bloody thing when I answered it.
Cheers DB6
PS For a more constructive answer try posting on the Technical forum.

[X-QUORK]

DB6

Thanks, I've mentioned it on the Tech Log and have had a couple of replies. It seems to be a subject that's been covered in the past - people are bored of it.

Fair enough !

[Few Cloudy]

X-Quork,

An integrated aircraft phone system will use its own dedicated external antenna - usually via sattelite.

This is a big difference from internally radiating cellphones. These can (and have done) affect the most differing sysytems from comm & nav - radio based systems, to electrically/electronically controlled systems on board - from compass to hydraulic and air conditioning systems.

Any system having a cable within oscillation range of any other passenger held electronic device may be susceptible. It depends on the screening of the hand held device and of the aircraft cabling.

Suggest NASA and the CAA as a source of data.

[ratbag]

I was always a bit sceptical of the fuss made about mobile phones on aircraft.

One day, in the Canadair Regional Jet, we had to divert and having landed, I tried to call ops on the mobile phone.

I have never seen so many cautions appear on the Eicas in such a small time.

The second I stopped trying to call, they all went away.

I'm not so sceptical now...

[twistedenginestarter]

I asked One2One what their limitation is and they said they hadn't got one. As far as they are concerned you can use them as high and fast as you like. I suppose that means try to rather than succeed. Their position is the only rules are those set by the aircraft operators.

[BJBATMAN]

I have always heard that it was the FCC that didn't want you to use your phone in the plane because you tie up to many towers at a time.