AA pilot explains why he won't be turning off his iPad

[FWAAA]

AA now has approval to use iPads instead of heavy paper charts on all its 777 flights:

As to concerns that pilots will be playing games rather than reviewing flight manuals, Clark says not to worry.

“Absolutely not – no Angry Birds in flight,” he said. Indeed, there are only two apps loaded on the iPads — the customized program for reading flight charts and a PDF reader for reviewing the plane’s manual, if needed.

http://allthingsd.com/20111214/american-airlines-pilot-on-why-he-wont-be-stowing-his-ipad-during-takeoff/?reflink=ATD_yahoo_ticker

But what about Words with Friends?

 

[787nightmare]

AA now has approval to use iPads instead of heavy paper charts on all its 777 flights:



http://allthingsd.com/20111214/american-airlines-pilot-on-why-he-wont-be-stowing-his-ipad-during-takeoff/?reflink=ATD_yahoo_ticker

But what about Words with Friends?

Exacly.
Won't be long, they'll figure a way around it.
As long as they don't have a cabin full of cell phones in the back receiving and transmitting on 5 mi final in minimums.

 

[eolesen]

So can I keep reading books on my iPad now?...

Seriously, if an iPad in airplane mode is OK in the cockpit, someone really needs to revisit the rule for in the cabin. The prohibition on cell phone use is a FCC thing, but that doesn't seem to cover things like digital cameras, e-readers, and MP3 players which are Class B electronics without any transmitting capability is included in that.

I know some people like to hide behind "it's the law", but you might want to do a little reading and see just how much of that is carrier controlled. I seem to recall carriers having some latitude on non-transmitting devices and items in airplane mode.

 

[787nightmare]

So can I keep reading books on my iPad now?...

Seriously, if an iPad in airplane mode is OK in the cockpit, someone really needs to revisit the rule for in the cabin. The prohibition on cell phone use is a FCC thing, but that doesn't seem to cover things like digital cameras, e-readers, and MP3 players which are Class B electronics without any transmitting capability is included in that.

I know some people like to hide behind "it's the law", but you might want to do a little reading and see just how much of that is carrier controlled. I seem to recall carriers having some latitude on non-transmitting devices and items in airplane mode.

Right Eric, that's exactly what it's ALL about...receiving and transmitting signals. Which, if you had a whole cabin full of smart phones going at it on climb out and on final, might be some concern there with interference with the transponders, marker beacons, localizers, LRRA etc, ability to receive clean signals & give the flight deck true reference info. I'm going to speak with some avionics gurus tomorrow about this.

I've thought for years that they needed to revise the policy for inflight do's & don'ts.
Leave it to the Feds...

 

[Buck]

Right Eric, that's exactly what it's ALL about...receiving and transmitting signals. Which, if you had a whole cabin full of smart phones going at it on climb out and on final, might be some concern there with interference with the transponders, marker beacons, localizers, LRRA etc, ability to receive clean signals & give the flight deck true reference info.
I've thought for years that they needed to revise the policy for inflight do's & don'ts.
Leave it to the Feds...

But that would be a step toward re regulation of the industry............

 

[787nightmare]

But that would be a step toward re regulation of the industry............

Well...like he said, some of these "policys" are driven by the carriers too.
Suppose one could argue that there is some "re-regulation" in place now, huh?

 

[xUT]

iPads and WI-FI is pretty much inert at 40K ft. WI-FI is useless in flight unless there is a WI-FI repeater installed on the aircraft. The comparison of iPads/Laptop WI-FI to cell phone use is apples and oranges.

I was party to a study of HIRF on ‘an’ aircraft using ‘a’ cell phone inside an aluminum body (supposedly the best grounded medium) and the spectrum analyzer outside of the aircraft picked up not only the cell phone but the harmonics. That is with one cell phone.

I am certainly not an expert; however I know grounding lugs, terminals, crimp connectors, avionics cases, etc… degrades over time and cycles (landing and take offs). Reducing protection from external HIRF/EMF.

The ‘one off’ or two passive (roaming) cell phone has not been proven to be a problem yet.
The only way to ‘prove’ cell phone use is safe in aircraft is to do a comprehensive study of ‘every’ passenger using their cell phone ‘actively’ in flight on aircraft in every situation. Is it possible to tap into ARINC 1553 or 629 from a cell phone? Possibly not (without additional electronics).
Is it possible to interfere with aircraft communications and control devices using a ‘modified’ cell phone? Absolutely!

http://www.fcc.gov/guides/wireless-devices-airplanes
http://www.faa.gov/news/fact_sheets/news_story.cfm?newsid=6275
http://spectrum.ieee.org/aerospace/aviation/unsafe-at-any-airspeed

B) xUT

 

[xUT]

Right Eric, that's exactly what it's ALL about...receiving and transmitting signals. Which, if you had a whole cabin full of smart phones going at it on climb out and on final, might be some concern there with interference with the transponders, marker beacons, localizers, LRRA etc, ability to receive clean signals & give the flight deck true reference info. I'm going to speak with some avionics gurus tomorrow about this.

I've thought for years that they needed to revise the policy for inflight do's & don'ts.
Leave it to the Feds...

IMHO, it's AArrogant clowns like you that kill people.
B) xUT

 

[Buck]

Rules don't matter when you have to adhere to the "Passenger Bill of Rights" amended. Maybe instead of fining the airline they should fine the passengers who won't turn off their electronics.

 

[eolesen]

iPads and WI-FI is pretty much inert at 40K ft. WI-FI is useless in flight unless there is a WI-FI repeater installed on the aircraft. The comparison of iPads/Laptop WI-FI to cell phone use is apples and oranges.

OK, so if an iPad, Nook, Kindle, iPod or other device in airplane mode is essentially inert, why are they lumped in with cellphones?

 

[xUT]

OK, so if an iPad, Nook, Kindle, iPod or other device in airplane mode is essentially inert, why are they lumped in with cellphones?

I am not a regulator.
Only expressing my opinions.
B) xUT

 

[Boomer]

OK, so if an iPad, Nook, Kindle, iPod or other device in airplane mode is essentially inert, why are they lumped in with cellphones?

I trust the pilots up-front to be potentially armed, well trained aviators.

I cannot say that about anyone else on the aircraft.

Further, I cannot tell you how many damaged items I have repaired in the cockpit due to the inadvertent placement of a heavy flight bag full of paper bound manuals.

Life is not fair: if you want to be able to play with a lot of electronic devices on airplanes, become a Pilot or get your A&P License ;-)

Regards,
Boomer

 

[787nightmare]

IMHO, it's AArrogant clowns like you that kill people.
B) xUT

Ok....