Mobile 'phones - again
 

I'm told (from some very reliable sources) that an ICAO meeting three weeks ago in Egypt had grave doubts about allowing the use of mobile 'phones in flight (and thus the development and fitting of equipment) because of worries about 'air rage'. Understandable, of course. Anybody got somewhat more 'official' news on this meeting?

I think that concerns over possible air rage are well founded. that last thing I need is the bloke next to me jabbering away to all and sundry (especially if he is the PF.....!!:) ) Seriously, its bad enough on the train when you can listen to some bird (or bloke) spreading the office gossip...

Hang on, what about the inflight entertainment system which allows you to swipe your credit card and use it as a phone! You will still get someone jabbering away using this or a mobile.

Nobody does that because it's too expensive. But the mobile phone systems are supposed to be much cheaper. And then, yes, people will start.

There's also the other factor: people are more likely to pick up their own familiar phone and use it, than using "someone else's phone".

My missus on the phone for 30 minutes does my head in when all I have to listen to is her yapping away let alone sat next to someone you don't know where you can't escape, as have already been stated I can see this leading to something bigger and patience wearing a tad thin, time will tell.

Limit calls to one five minute burst every hour from a particular phone, and limit the seats at which it'll work to the non-numbered vacuum powered thrones in the little booths at the back. Privacy and promptness. Perfect.

R

But nobody can call you on THAT system :ok:

Phone Jammers
 

Yep, air rage it will be.

I can see people buying those little gadgets that turns off all mobile phone within 30 metres.

Then we will have the (they interfere with flight systems) so the gadgets will be banned.

Then the first "in-flight mobile suppository" being administered on an involuntary basis, will result in the systems being shut down.


I hope:E :E

Finally a use for that screaming toddler that invariably gets seated near me. "Look love can you take your brat and go stand by the obnoxious man on the phone over there!"

Sorry, but in an industry that has developed in flight refreshments, in flight entertainment, exit row seats, checked baggage, and slightly weighty baggage to the point of being major sources of revenue, mobile phones are the next obvious money spinner. Shareholders and CEO's don't sit next to the obnoxious person in 23D.

No they don't, but the said people will have problems on their hands if planes have to start diverting due to air rage etc etc etc.

I must admit that this is a subject which has pre-occupied me for years.

Some years back major Australian airlines (following overseas practice) banned the use of mobile phones and other devices like laptops during take-off, climb and I think descent. But they could be used in cruise - whoops - not phones - but laptops and gameboys etc.

I commenced a study of this subject (at the time I was the Manager of the then Oz CAA Safety Promotion Unit). I could find no cases of electronic interference with flight or navigation systems directly attributable to the use of these devices.

I could find a fair bit of literature mind you. The incident reports were normally along the lines of - cockpit instrument deviation - can't find cause - ask cabin crew to see whether anyone in the cabin is using a device - yes sir - a kid in row 14f is using a gameboy - report it. I used to argue that they should be asking the cabin crew whther there are any blondes on board because then you could say this was the casue.

Now I don't know the answer - but if anybody does I would love to know the answer.

Barkly,

My understanding is that the ICAO reluctance is not any technical grounds of problems relating to EMC, but the very real ones of some twerp busy telling everyone "I'm on the 'plane" or whatever for two hours getting the 'phone stuffed somewhere - or being punched.

It often seems to me that there's enough annoying b******* flying as SLF (I'm not one, of course!) without adding to their number.

Radeng

Understand that the real problem with the mobile phones (back when they were bricks) was that at altitude they would communicate with about 10 cells at once and throw every else off the system.

Also understand there could be problems with transmitters but laptops, gameboys and portable playstations - has me beat.

Also I have on one occasion used a mobile phone (about 20 n.miles south of Dubbo in NSW) to contact the responsible person who was holding my SARTIME details that due weather we were running late and I expected to be on the ground and able to cancel SAR in 20 minutes - including time to taxi and tie down.

Is there are hard eveidence of interference with systems? Has anyone been able to replicate erroneous readings by triggering with transmissions from phones or other devices?

Does this qualify ? http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/389/srg_ac...-01-030303.pdf

Wodrick

I have read this report now - it really says the evidence is elusive but under some circumstances some mobile phones might interefere with some part of an aircraft's systems therefore we should do something to be on the safe side.

The simpel fact is that there has been no accudent or serious incident as far as I am aware that has ever been attributed to the use of a mobile phone - not that anyone would want to use on an aircraft anyway.

And as I said earlier, this is only about telephones - the airlines, driven by lawyers rather than safety experts and engineers, always say lets go along with this nonsense.

Anyway - that how I see it.

So should we wait until there's been an accident or a serious incident to prove that the research results carry across into real life, before mobile phones are banned? I didn't think that this way the way that air safety worked - although I'd be happy to be corrected when standing in a forum of experts in the safety field.

Barkly
>not that anyone would want to use on an aircraft anyway.<
There I venture to disagree. Just look at the wallies rabbiting away as they get on, and again as soon as the engines are switched off.
From an EMC viewpoint, I don't want to find out if there's a problem at a particular time, someplace, somewhere. Better safe than sorry. EMC is something, incidentally, that I have to handle in my professional occupation.

I think TAP and bmi were boasting that they would be implementing a system whereby SLF could use mobile phones in "early 2006". Don't think it has happened on either airline yet!

Isnt G-MIDC "enabled" or something like that for mobiles? Luffy annouced it also and i believe them more given they didnt lie about when Broadband would be on their LH fleet.