FAA may clear e-books and tablets for takeoff, landing

[robertVA]

Apparently there's some home for reading while the plane is taxiing, landing and taking off. I suspect airplane mode will still be required.

http://now.msn.com/living/0318-faa-policy-review.aspx

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/18/disruptions-time-to-review-f-a-a-policy-on-gadgets/

[Gotadimple]

Of course it will.  It isn't about any interference with airplane electronics.  It is about paying attention to the flight crew during take-off and landing.

That's the theory, anyway.

But in practice, a person reading a newspaper or book could continue to read without being interrupted by a flight attendant asking them to put their 'manual device' away.

[MacMcK1957]

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Gotadimple wrote:

Of course it will.  It isn't about any interference with airplane electronics.  It is about paying attention to the flight crew during take-off and landing.

That's the theory, anyway.

But in practice, a person reading a newspaper or book could continue to read without being interrupted by a flight attendant asking them to put their 'manual device' away.

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Actually, as with so many rules, people are not actually sure what the original reasons were anymore. "You may ask, how did this tradition get started? I'll tell you. I don't know. But it's a tradition."

Originally, I believe, they were supposedly to prevent interference with cockpit communications.  Remember that analog cell phones used to broadcast a much stronger signal than current digital devices, although even then the issue was dubious.

But the important issue will be whether we'll be able to play Words With Friends, right?

[Sun_Cat]

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MacMcK1957 wrote:

Originally, I believe, they were supposedly to prevent interference with cockpit communications.  Remember that analog cell phones used to broadcast a much stronger signal than current digital devices, although even then the issue was dubious.

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As one of those articles points out, with modern devices you get much more potential interference by asking passengers to turn the devices off and then back on again. Even in airplane mode, your tablet or phone cycles the wi-fi, GPS, and cellular circuits when it starts up. And when everyone in the plane does that within seconds of the announcement...

[Ryan_]

I've often wondered why this hasn't happened to sooner. Each device needs to accept any interefence by governement communications to get FCC approval. Like others here, I just assumed it was a rule to keep some people paying attention during the saftey overview. Good to see things changing!

[Temetka]

It was for safety orginally. No one wanted to risk the off chance of a cell phone or other device interfering with say, a landing control system and costing the lives ofr the 100 or so passengers on the plane.

The theory of induction is wonderful, but if mis-used can cause issues. In this case they were banking on the teeny tiny percentage that might interfere with the planes electronic or communication systems. When it comes to peoples lives, safety first.

That being said the last 20 years have shown us that it's not really gonna happen. Most phones or tablets or consumer electronics simply don't output a strong enough signal to interfere with commercial hardened systems. However I still am a fan of turning things off. Just in case.

This move is happening because, well, people are lazy and don't want to turn their device off.

[MacMcK1957]

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Temetka wrote:

That being said the last 20 years have shown us that it's not really gonna happen. Most phones or tablets or consumer electronics simply don't output a strong enough signal to interfere with commercial hardened systems.

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A decade ago you couldn't visit someone in the hospital without facing dozens of signs warning you to turn off your cell phone because it was going to disable someone's pacemaker or something.  Those signs are now gone, because, as you say, "it's not really going to happen."

[kamas716]

The shielding on devices has come a long ways in the last few decades.  I remember signs in my grade school warning about the operation of the microwave oven in the teacher's lounge.  I also remember only being able to run the microwave at home during commercials, or when no one was on the computer, because whenever it ran it completely interfered with the TV or monitor.

[patgolfneb]

Before cable and digital TV, back in the dark ages, everything was a problem but especially any electrical device, can openers, microwaves, drills, blenders, anything with a small motor caused problems. So part of it was the cooling fans and such.  If wiring harness decay or insulating material gets scraped away it was felt this might make interference possible.  But of course such a failure would affect basic avionics as well, so really the issue is wiring and sheilding properly designed and maintained, especially on older planes.  To me restricting phones and such is really an admission that they were not sure that wiring and sheilding was being properly maintained.

[cpe111]

I agree that devices that have been properly tested and have passed the relveant standards should not be an issue. I'd be more concerned about counterfeit devices, of which a significant number exist.