How does a mobile phone affect an airplane's Flight?

Question

Just would like to check with the Pilots, Aircraft Crews and the who-knows-this-stuff: How would it affect a flight if someone opens up his mobile phone while you're up there?

Saw someone use his phone while in the middle of a flight, although i didnt see him use it for a phone call I actually saw him using his calculator function.

Answer 1

Ok, this is a much debated topic with many complex scenarios. One of the biggest problems is that there are so many different types of cell phones out there, and there are still people out there carrying around phones that are circa 1992. Old school to say the least. When most commercial airliners were designed and built, they never did any R and D to the problems cell phones may pose. The biggest thought is that the phones EMI (Electromagnetic Interference) will interfere with aircraft radio transmissions and/or aircraft navigation systems. This gets back to my mention earlier of aircraft manufacturers not doing any R and D. The major manufacturer's such as Airbus and Boeing have been doing research, although they don't have much conclusive evidence yet. Every type of cell phone has a different EMI value. Back in 2004 there was an initiative by a few airlines to the FCC and the FAA to review the policy on cell phone use in flight. Here is a link to the CNN web site that refers to said initiative. http://money.cnn.com/2004/12/09/technology/personaltech/cellphones_inflight/
The FAA and FCC are still reviewing evidence and conducting testing. Also, Mythbusters, the show on the Discovery channel, took this myth on and came up with some interesting results. I unfortuanatly couldn't find the exact results, but it was Episode 49 if you would like to do your own research on the topic. I have personally done some of my own research as I am an A and P Aircraft Mechanic and also a commercial pilot.

I know that my answer skips around a little and is a little hard to read, I apologize for that, I had surgery a few days ago and am still taking some pretty good pain meds........ Don't worry, I'm not currently flying or working on aircraft. :) I'll wait till I'm fully healed up and not on any meds. Hope this helps at least some. I have a lot more resources for information if anybody would like them.

Answer 2

2

Answer 3

Short answer - it can. Mobile phones are banned on aeroplanes for a reason. Electromagnetic Compatability can result in all kinds of unforseen occurences, at any stage during the flight. Some may be benign, others can be catastropic.

If used during an apporach to land, mobile phone signals have been known to drag ILS glideslope / localiser bars away from the runway centreline. If visibility is poor, the safety implications are obvious - especially if the Autopilot is coupled into the ILS. The potential is there for the aeroplane to fly itself into the ground without anyone onboard realising.

Mobile phone signals can affect aircraft on ground aswell, it has been known for signals to trigger release of wing stores and even set off ejector seats. So if you ever see anyone using a mobile phone anyway near an aeroplane - slap them.

Some airlines are considering allowing the use of mobile phones onboard, however only with known frequency bands that have been fully tested to ensure Electromagnatic Compatability with aircraft systems.

Answer 4

I'm not so sure cell phones do nothing to affect electronics. I know for a fact that every time I turn my cell on or off when I'm at the computer, the screen flickers for a few seconds. So, would this be safe if your flying around mountains? Who knows? I'll keep mine off in the plane just in case.

Answer 5

i would only think that Cell Phones would mess up the communications between the pilots and the tower, or the nav frequencies but there are so many cell phones out there that carry different frequencies so it is hard to tell which ones would be safe, which ones would not... its better to turn all cell phones off during flight as there are so many frequencies that pilots use

you can have a mobile phone open to use it as a calculator or something, just make sure it is on a mode called "air plane mode" or something to that effect so you can not receive signals from a satellite

Answer 6

The popular opinion is that it may foul up the airplane's radio navigation instruments. As a licensed pilot, airplane owner, and electronic engineer, I consider this to be baloney. The original reason for banning cell phone use in flight is that the ground stations did not handle well the similar signal strength to a large number of stations, so that the cellular system had trouble picking a suitable tower to use to talk to you. Nevertheless, one needs to keep the cabin crew happy, and stow your phone while the airplane is in flight.

Answer 7

I'm not a pilot but I don't think cell phones affect flights at all. I think the airlines just tell you that so that you will pay to use their phones. If using cell phones wasn't safe, then why is it safe to use their phones? Just another way to get your money!

Answer 8

Its not throughout the flight. Its only restricted sometime during the flight.

The mobile phone seems to interfere with avionics equipment in aircrafts. Pilot communications can be intercepted with the right equipments. Navigation equipemnt can also be affetcted.

Imagine someone with a handphone and some other techno gadgets, jamming the pilots frequency.

Cheers.

Answer 9

The answer is, nobody knows for sure because that stuff is so complicated and it's all controlled by electronics.

So it's safer to leave the damn things turned off - plus your fellow passengers will thank you. Lord knows I get tired of landing and then 50 people have to instantly turn on their phone and call somebody who probably doesn't care to say "we landed, I'm still on the plane"

Thanks for letting me vent.

Answer 10

It does not affect them at all.

I fly all the time, not commercial, and I use my cell phone all of the time, providing I can get a signal, which is 70% of the time.

Remember, on 9/11, many people on board the planes called their families to update them on the attacks

My guess is that airlines and phone companies would appreciate your business on the "airphones".