RE: OT : XDA Exec deal ? - Supplementary

["Paul Gordon" <paul@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I saw an item on precisely this topic a little while ago, - I think it
might have been on the "Gadget Show" on Ch.5. To summarise, the
upshot was that in a *very* small number of cases, with a *very* small
proportion of the electronics in question, and in a *very* specific set of
circumstances, it was possible for the flight deck instrumentation to be
affected. To try to illustrate just how unlikely it is in practice, the
illustrative figures given for some of the conditions above suggested that
an estimated 5% of devices, only when within 1.5 metres of the instruments
could have any observable effect. - I.e. you'd have to be inside the
cockpit, and you'd probably need several bits of kit on you, in order to
have any chance of affecting anything....

I find it less hassle all round just to not argue with them though.... :-)

Paul G.


________________________________

From: ukha_d@xxxxxxx on behalf of Dave McLaughlin
Sent: Tue 03/01/2006 14:01
To: UKHA_D Group
Subject: Re: [ukha_d] OT : XDA Exec deal ? - Supplementary



Normally the rules for the airlines I have travelled on, is for
switching off of all devices during takeoff and landing whilst the seat
belt sign is on. During the flight, I continue to use them even if the
sign is on for when you hit turbulence and never been challenged.

It is a bit silly really as things like Ipods and PC's should not
interfere with the aircraft systems otherwise their designs are crap!!
For the likes of CE testing, your equipment is subjected to outside
interference to see if it reacts and I can only think that aircraft
systems are much higher as a good few years ago I did a temperature
logger for a helicopter and it had to pass some severe tests for radio
interference. The power output from the aircrafts own radio transmitter
is higher than a handphone!! Go figure!

Dave...



Hawes,Timothy Edward (GEG) wrote:
> I don't have one currently, but am very tempted by the offer Gareth
> posted :-))
>
> I travelled a bit to the US last year - mostly on Virgin - and their
> inflight announcements about switching off electronic devices included
> "even those devices equipped with a flight-safe mode" or
something like
> that.
> Clearly there's a disconnect between devices that have such a mode and
> have been tested by the mfr, and what the airlines (well, Virgin
anyway)
> seem to think.
>
> I don't know what the answer is, but this might be something to keep
in
> mind.




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