Topic: Is there a reason why cell phones are turned off on a plane?
Blayne Bradley
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??
My friend tells me that they can tell if a cell phone is turned on, SO if i brought a phone onto a plane and threw it say into the toilet they won't take off and I successfully cause everyone else a mountain of frustration?
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The reason I'm always told is that the cell phone signals interfere with the plane navigation systems. I think that's about as realistic as microwave ovens turning on your TV at night, but I don't know about the design of these things. Maybe they do use a signal that is on a similar frequency to cell phones, but it would seem easier to build a way to use a different bandwidth than to install cell phone detectors onboard planes (another thing which I doubt).
The evidence for the claim that cell phones interfere with planes is about as anecdotal as the idea that childhood vaccines cause autism. But if you dare throw your cell phone in the toilet, other problems might be caused that could interfere with very different systems. Posts: 1029 | Registered: Apr 2007
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The Mythbusters determined that most cell phone signals in general use don't interfer with a plane's navigation systems. They also decided that there's a whole bunch of cell phone frequencies. So the FAA can run around like crazy trying to make sure all cell phones don't cause problems while listening to folks complain about the guy who didn't shut up the entire flight, or they can just ban them all to be on the safe side.
Like parents everywhere, the FAA just wants a little peace and quiet. Posts: 2283 | Registered: Dec 2003
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It's not just cell phones, it's all electronic devices. Sure a few devices will probably do little to nothing in interfering with the planes electronics, but a plane full of passengers with 2-3 devices per person can cause a measurable disturbance.
In a related note I was flipping through fox news and the reporter must have had a cell phone turned on nearby as you could hear the interference through his microphone as the phone rang.
Posts: 14316 | Registered: Jul 2005
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quote:In a related note I was flipping through fox news and the reporter must have had a cell phone turned on nearby as you could hear the interference through his microphone as the phone rang.
If I have my headphones on I can hear my cellphone ring before it audibly rings. I'm psychic!
Posts: 8473 | Registered: Apr 2003
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quote:In a related note I was flipping through fox news and the reporter must have had a cell phone turned on nearby as you could hear the interference through his microphone as the phone rang.
If I have my headphones on I can hear my cellphone ring before it audibly rings. I'm psychic!
Yeah my computer speakers do the same thing if they are on.
Posts: 14316 | Registered: Jul 2005
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Our desktop monitor buzzes before my phone starts ringing or I get a text message if my phone is close to it.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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So we go to all this trouble to ban food and beverages, toothpaste and shampoo from airplaines, and then let terrorists take on cell phones and ipods they could use to bring the whole plane down into a flaming twisted wreck of metal?
Posts: 1894 | Registered: Aug 2000
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The fact that the TSA does not confiscate cell phones leads me to think that the phones are considered enough of a problem that we're asked to turn them off, but not actually likely to pose much danger. If it causes some interference on the radio, it won't immediately cause the plane to crash. It might prompt a search of the cabin for the culprit, though.
Posts: 3546 | Registered: Jul 2002
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I was chatting a pilot last time I was in the airport--and he said it other devices could cause some fuzz when using the radio--and that's just about it. No real problems otherwise. Though, considering the pilot is the primary navigation system in the plane, and his ability to communicate with the airport towers is pretty important, I'd say it's not entirely inaccurate that cell phones interfere with the plane's "navigation systems".
Posts: 1314 | Registered: Jan 2006
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A couple of weeks ago on a flight I had to put my backpack into the overhead because I ended up in a front-row seat and didn't have a seat in front of me to stow it under.
I'd forgotten that my cell phone was in there, so after the announcements started up I asked the flight attendant if it was a problem if I didn't turn it off. She told me not to worry about it.
Posts: 3149 | Registered: Jul 2005
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I just flew to Florida and back to Chicago, and on both legs, I forgot to turn off my phone. It was in my bag. And both times, when I got off the plane, it said I'd had a missed call (or several). I just hadn't heard it ring.
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Thank you, rubble, for the link. Hadn't thought to ask Prof. Wikipedia, but that clears up a lot.
The telling point the article makes is that's it's the FCC that bans the use of phones in flight outright, and it's only a reccomendation from the FAA. This leads to the conclusion (supported by rest of the article) that it's more a communications issue than a flight safety issue.
Posts: 1894 | Registered: Aug 2000
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