Phone calls and FADEC
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Join Date: Mar 2006
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Phone calls and FADEC
Whats the latest advice on mobile phone signals interfering with the FADEC on a helicopter?
I've had a client request information on this. Be interested on any one else's experience or advice on this?
Model is an AS 350 B3 single channel FADEC.
I've had a client request information on this. Be interested on any one else's experience or advice on this?
Model is an AS 350 B3 single channel FADEC.
Join Date: Sep 2003
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Flying the 407, I‘ve never had any issues. Iphone - Bluetooth - Bose works just fine on the „conventional“ 407 as well as the GXP. Ohh, and the Fadec works fine as well 
The legal position is it's at the discretion of the operator. Unless you're in the US where the FCC insists they are off or in flight mode during flight (so you don't risk sending the mobile network whacky).
I wonder if the FCC position in the US is a throwback to airline lobby from the days where they could sell phone calls on their planes? All legalities aside, all pilots I know fly all helicopters with their cell phones on and never have a FADEC concern. Or fuelling, or blowing the floats.
as far as I know, there have only been interferences between fadec and mobile phones on fixed wings so far.
With normal shielding of cabels and the box itself nothing should happen.
The holes might line up, if you have interrupted shielding and close distance between phone and cabel/box.
You might consider, how mobiles work.
They are normally logged in into one cell, receiving signals and seldom answering with low power.
Moving from one cell to another the network and phone will recognize and a short handover will happen.
If you now lift off into the air, the phone receives multiple stations and gets busy sorting out, which one is the strongest, sending and receiving signals.
Cause you normally also move at high speed and the ground stations only cover a smal area, the phone gets really busy, increasing the risks of interference.
Still, operating for years with (dual lane) fadec and the mobile(s), as well as the ipad with data card - on ��
With normal shielding of cabels and the box itself nothing should happen.
The holes might line up, if you have interrupted shielding and close distance between phone and cabel/box.
You might consider, how mobiles work.
They are normally logged in into one cell, receiving signals and seldom answering with low power.
Moving from one cell to another the network and phone will recognize and a short handover will happen.
If you now lift off into the air, the phone receives multiple stations and gets busy sorting out, which one is the strongest, sending and receiving signals.
Cause you normally also move at high speed and the ground stations only cover a smal area, the phone gets really busy, increasing the risks of interference.
Still, operating for years with (dual lane) fadec and the mobile(s), as well as the ipad with data card - on ��
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Apologies, as I've never had the luxury of a fadec, but
May have been true with the old analogue networks when the US used D-AMPS but the systems/protocols used now cope fine.
To point out the obvious, the steam driven varieties don't appear to be affected.
so you don't risk sending the mobile network whacky
To point out the obvious, the steam driven varieties don't appear to be affected.
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Every helicopter pilot I know keeps their phone on with no drama. Indeed, that's an advantage of flying around down where there is actually legit cellular coverage.
As for airliners, how many pax do you think actually turn their phones off? Not many! And no drama there either.
This is a dead issue, and has been for more than a decade.
As for airliners, how many pax do you think actually turn their phones off? Not many! And no drama there either.
This is a dead issue, and has been for more than a decade.
the 76s had that smoke detector in the baggage compartment which would commonly be activated inflight from ipads and phones left in bags. Had it IFR once, but luckily was half way down the slope !
