F.A.A. Approves iPads in coughpits, but Not for Passengers

[Doug_Westcott]

Reported in The New York Times (and others)

The Federal Aviation Administration said Tuesday that pilots on American Airlines flights would be allowed to use iPads instead of paper flight manuals in the coughpit starting Friday, as reported by ZDNet, even during takeoff and landing. But passengers are still required to shut down anything with the slightest electronic pulse from the moment a plane leaves the gate until it reaches an altitude of 10,000 feet.

The rule barring passengers from using a Kindle, an iPad or even a calculator were originally made to protect the electronics of an aircraft from interference. Yet pilots with iPads will be enclosed in the coughpit just a few inches from critical aviation equipment.

There is some thought that the rule forbidding devices during takeoff and landing was made to ensure that passengers paid attention. The F.A.A. has never claimed this. (If this was the case, passengers would not
be allowed to have books, magazines or newspapers during takeoff and landing.)

 

[harvyk]

Whilst it does seem strange, what you probably find is it's a certain specific model, using certain specific settings which has been certified.

Given that the FA's can't check every pax electronic device to confirm if it's a certified device they simple put a blanket ban over them.

 

[rockyroad]

Amazes me during landing all the beeping coming from the overhead lockers, seat back pockets and pax pockets from the phones that were not switched off during takeoff or landing. Never seen an FA take the least bit of notice. This issue is a Storm in a Tea Cup. As for the IPad, I suspect when you switch it off, it just goes into standby mode and the CPU is still working but at a lower clock rate.

 

[harvyk]

No, iPad's can be properly switched off which even clears out the memory. The reason why it might seem as if you never switched it off is iOS programs are suppose to save themselves at random intervals in case they get terminated by iOS so the user is unaware that the program stopped functioning (it's done as part of memory management, source = I'm an iPad developer).

In some ways the issue is a storm in a tea cup. If it was a serious safety issue everyone would be forced to hand in their mobile phone on boarding and \ or you would be forced to go via a room which detects mobile phones.

However since everything in aviation is a statistics and numbers game they figure that yes they will probably get a few mobiles left switched on however one or two probably will not do anything, therefore it would be a minimal risk to allow people to keep their devices.

The issue is that such devices could cause interference, and the risk of the interference that could be caused by 120 transmitters going on inside the aircraft is just too great compared to what is required to mitigate that risk via both shielding, and just having those 120 transmitters turned off.

I do expect we will see a time where getting onto a plane will be no different to getting onto a train when it comes to electronic devices.

 

[alieninperth]

I hope this is never the case. One of the best things about air travel is the lack of morons talking to other morons incrediably loudly on the phone.

Could you imagine it,

...no I'm in a cloud, yeah a cloud. IM IN A CLOUD. call drops off.

call back, SORRY ABOUT THAT I WAS IN A CLOUD. AND THEN SHE SAID AND THEN I SAID AND THEN SHE DID THIS AND THEN I DID THAT.

Air rage will go through the roof.

 

[Adelaide]

I like the idea of hosties having electronic devices instead of paper to help look after everybody.
Of course, electrical interference aside and I'm sure the stafff would need to follow safety rules, it seems that if electronic devices can improve business efficiencies and cut down on manual work and errors, then this would be a good thing.