Christine Negroni March 9, 2011
Handhelds on Planes A Bigger Problem Than You Think
So what would you think if you were the B777 pilot who's radio communication with air traffic control was interrupted by a passenger's cell phone call? Or if you were the captain in command of a B747 that unexpectedly lost autopilot after takeoff and did not get it back until 4, count 'em four passengers turned off their portable electronic devices?
Well I'm guessing that these pilots would probably be leading the chorus of voices calling for some drastic change in the practically unenforced policy restricting the use of portable electronic devices on airplanes.
Now I am reporting that the problem of electro-magnetic interference affecting commercial flights is much bigger than previously suspected.
...
Fellow Amateurs Radio Licensees, repeat after me: "We told you so"!
Every ham operator I know has agreed with me that the antideluvian aircraft communications and navigation system is not able to handle interference from near-field transmitters.
Let's hope that someone in Washington gets the word, *before* we have burnt bodies on the ground to prove my point!
Bill Horne Moderator