How do portable electronics effect an airplane?

Question

During take off and landing I have to trun off all portable electronic devices, because of possible interferance to equiptment in the aircraft. What kind of interferance is it?

Answer 1

Electronics can interfere with the radio and radar signals of the aircraft - Have you ever heard another electronic device make a buzzing sound when your cell phone receives a call or data? Same type of interference...

Answer 2

It has been proven that cellphones & laptop computers, as well as many other electronic devices emit RFI. Or "Radio Frequency Interferance" While the various radios, & electronic navigation devices are loctaed in the cockpit of the aircraft, the antennae for these devices are located all over the aircrafts fuselage, & out on the wings. The cables to some of these antennae run through the bulkheads in the passenger cabins of some of these aircraft, where they can pick up the emissions from the passengers electronic devices, & cause errors in the navigational gear. An error of only one degree can put an Aircraft several miles off course during a long flight, & potentially cause a mid-air collision with another aircraft, especially when operating in close proximity to an airport during take-off, or approach to landing.

While the standard proceedure is to have everybody turn off their electronics during the critical stages of take-off, or landing. If the flight crew notice any errors in navigation while at cruise, they will advise the cabin crew who will check the cabin for any electronics in use, & if they see a laptop, or cellphone, or anything else electronic in use, they will ask the passenger to shut it down.

Answer 3

every electronic device gives off radio transmissions of some sort. They vary in frequency and strength but they all do something. Rather than force passengers to sort through the specs of all of them, there is a blanket ban on all electronic devices during critical phases of flight (below 10,000'). And a ban on the more common culprits that contribute to interferance at all times (like cell phones). I can personally attest to the fact that cell phones DO interfere with communications. As a pilot, we talk over the radios frequently. Every time someone forgets to turn their phone off during the flight we get a really loud morse code electronic beeping through the radios. When we descend down low enough for this persons phone to receive a signal, it learns that it has voicemail and starts ringing (or beeping, or vibrating, it doesnt matter) and we are out of the loop for about 5 seconds. Its more of an annoyance than anything dangerous, but if everyone left them on, we would never be able to get anything done. All we'd ever hear is dee-dee-deeeeee dee-dee-deeeee.

Answer 4

Mostly they don't, I've heard more than one cell phone ring in the middle of a flight.

Most aircraft systems are well shielded, the biggest RF emitters you are going to find on a plane are their own radios. But there have been documented cases of innocuous electronic devices, that aren't supposed to transmit anything, causing errors in navigational equipment.

As others have said, this is currently the subject of anecdote and research. No solid answers yet.

Answer 5

Besides cell phones, the possibility of anything screwing up the Nav aids is a load of crap. And personally, I don't see the cells causing a problem either.

OK, I'll go with the cell phone thing, as I heard it last night on my FM radio while my daughter was texting.

Any other device doen't put out enough power to be of consideration. And thinking that the cables going through the cabin area will pick something up is incorrect. All of that antenna cable is shielded to prevent both RF loss and EMI.

Answer 6

All electronic equipment produces emi(electro magnetic interference). This emi can interfere with normal signals in the avionic equipment. This could cause erratic and false readings on the equipment displays in the cockpit.

Answer 7

in the USA, air rules require that airlines basically enable digital instruments that have been favourite to not interfere with the avionics of the airplane. on condition that maximum airlines do not elect to spend the time or funds to make certain that each and each digital gadget is risk-free, they simply do not enable them in any respect for the duration of take-off and landing. Cruise flight is a miles less extreme element of flight, such diverse airlines assist you to apply such instruments then. extremely, there is almost no digital gadget that could reason any interference with the airplane structures, yet no one needs to take any opportunities.

Answer 8

Satellite interference. Aircrafts use the same satellite signals that our cell phone do.

Answer 9

......................... there is study being carried out for interference ........... although no proof has come up ............... and they want to take no chances with the safety ................ whereas for take off and landing ........... it is for your own safety that you pay attention in case emergency evacuation is required .......... during critical phase of flight ................. you are important to them ...........