AMR pilot demands information from ATC about terror threat
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Some aircraft (but by no means all) are no doubt equipped for mobile phone service, but as far as I am aware, a mobile phone, suitable to the area of operations is not yet a required item for flight crew.
Particularly on the Helsinki flight, they would have had to shuffle sim cards and service providers to call the number, and it is by no means certain that mobile phones are a reliable form of emergency communication.
Or have I been out of touch too long?
Particularly on the Helsinki flight, they would have had to shuffle sim cards and service providers to call the number, and it is by no means certain that mobile phones are a reliable form of emergency communication.
Or have I been out of touch too long?
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Some aircraft (but by no means all) are no doubt equipped for mobile phone service, but as far as I am aware, a mobile phone, suitable to the area of operations is not yet a required item for flight crew.
Particularly on the Helsinki flight, they would have had to shuffle sim cards and service providers to call the number, and it is by no means certain that mobile phones are a reliable form of emergency communication.
Or have I been out of touch too long?
Particularly on the Helsinki flight, they would have had to shuffle sim cards and service providers to call the number, and it is by no means certain that mobile phones are a reliable form of emergency communication.
Or have I been out of touch too long?
Sometimes the access is a little too immediate, I've had coworkers texting and checking voicemail before I can stow the spoilers when exiting the runway.
The AA captain had a lot on his mind no doubt and it is the case in the U.S. system that the captain is often one of the last to be informed when there is a deviation from the original plan of operation (don't ask me how I know ).
The tower was probably just trying to be discreet by asking for a phone call. Unlike with the old analog AMPS system, modern digital cellphone transmissions are extremely hard to monitor without cooperation from the service provider from what I can see.
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Depends . . . .
. . . how long your sleeper agent at "bargain moby fones R us" has been embedded, I suppose.
(For #69)
(For #69)
Last edited by ILoadMyself; 20th Sep 2012 at 23:15. Reason: Fatigue and technical ineptitude
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No airline pilot is required to have a cell phone and therefore the captain was required to be notified of what was going on. If not told what is going on you have to assume the worst if surrounded by emergency vehicles.
The captain is always required to be told the status of his aircraft. I don't think they will pull this bonehead procedure again. Good job captain.
The captain is always required to be told the status of his aircraft. I don't think they will pull this bonehead procedure again. Good job captain.
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Also for you cell phone call advocates, the captains cell phone is off so would take a minute to even make a call possible. Give me a break. He forced them to tell them what he should have already been told by regulations. He is the PIC and needs to know what is happening with his flight. Everybody seemed to know but him. He had to make a decision with no input. He put it on them. Good for him.
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A crew on a U.S. carrier would almost certainly have immediate access to cell phone communication while taxiing in to JFK from an international flight in my experience.
The tower was probably just trying to be discreet by asking for a phone call. Unlike with the old analog AMPS system, modern digital cellphone transmissions are extremely hard to monitor without cooperation from the service provider from what I can see.
The skipper's first responsibility is however towards his passengers and not towards ATC or Homeland Security or whomever was trying to avoid publicity.
Ciao,
Dg800
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Don't know about the US of A but scrambling radio transmissions is definitely illegal in many jurisdictions, at least for civilian applications. Big Brother wants to be able to watch you.