FAA Begins Reconsideration of Electronic Device Policy

Well, all of these devices are in use already in the cockpit (er... crew cabin) already and have been for decades starting with the EFB (electronic flight bags), iPads, cell phones, laptops, you name it.

The only problem is that pilots have absolute control over what equipment is brought into the cockpit, but no control when some passenger brings on some device that radiates all kinds of garbage all over the RF spectrum because it is either faulty or did not meet FCC guidelines from the beginning.

Nevertheless, cockpit avionics are designed and manufactured to pretty stringent RF susceptibility standards and not likely to be impacted by anything in the passenger compartment.

More likely to cause irritation with the passengers packed like sardines next to you than impact the avionics.

If the ban on some electronic gadgets ie cellphones is total bollocks then I say let's maintain the fear.

Planes are about the last place on earth where you can spend time away from a gibbering fool on a phone.

Maintain the ban.

Alternatively, the airlines could have a premium "cellphone class" and keep these addicted nonces to themselves. Leaving the rest of us to enjoy the free booze in peace.

So what exactlyis a nonce? And btw, the point is that the devices couldbeused as cameras email etc not necessarily chatter. Less than 10% of usageon smart "phones" today is telephony. Milo

A common British insult.

There is a "plane" mode on these devices that turns off the phone function.

I for one hope the ban stays in effect.....

There's nothing worse than sitting next to some Gerbil yakking away very loudly on their cell phone for nearly the entire flight! This especially true if I'm working on some business matter or writing an Engineering Report.

Besides, I WANT to be safe, rather then be sorry and praying to the All Mighty, as the plane spirals down into oblivion because some idiot didn't turn off their Gizmo.....