Cell phoner and Airplanes

----------

You asked a complex and interesting question.

Nothing simple like the meaning of life,

 

Every big thing had to have started somewhere.

 

That is the reason that I heard. I also heard it from a pilot! Just my two cents

 

------------------

True enough, thats what the FCC says and THIS PILOT agrees, But the original question was:

"Saturday November 15, 2003 5:06 PM Hey, i am just wondering if having a cell phone on when on a plane actually does anything. can they actually affect the planes instruments?"

____________
I can see that "lock up" (in theory) occurring with a low altitude aircraft, but with only 200 mw max of output from a digital phone at high altitude and high speed I just can't see it, given the aluminum fuselage around the phone and no outside antenna.

Even at a window what energy gets out is very directional and one would think is dissipated and distorted by the rest of the metal structure. In a low wing plane, the wings should reflect the tiny RF signal from the phone and shield the incoming RF signal.

 

Well with many airlines now allowing phone use as soon as your plane has exited the runway I can honestly say I am glad they are banned in flight, interference or not. On my flight last night two Nextel users were chirping away next to and in front of me about 20 seconds after we landed. Could you imagine having to deal with that for an entire flight?

 

Agree, with the NEXTEL chirp. Wish PTT users would use the hand set not he speaker phone in public areas. I have come to believe that they just dont't get IT.