Re: Don't trust the net too much

["Sean A. Walberg" <sean@escape.ca>]

On Wed, 12 Jul 1995, Doug Hughes wrote:
> Keep in mind that newer planes (767, 757) let you do anything you want
> while the plane is in flight (but now while landing or takeoff), so they
> probably build better instrumentation and cabin shielding into the planes
> these days. If they say keep it off, chances are they have a good reason..
> 
> If you find categorical evidence to the contrary, I'm sure I would be very
> relieved to see it posted here. (rather than wondering if somebody
> in one of the 30 rows ahead of me might decide he knows better)
> 
> Disclaimer: I have absolutely no idea what kind of shielding goes into
> an airplane nor any knowledge of building practices in the airline industry,
> but that should be obvious. ;)

In the Canadian CFS (Canada Flight Supplement), a manual distributed to 
all Canadian pilots and continuously updated, there is a section on this 
kind of thing.   The basic gist of it is that there is no proof that 
computers and cells cause interference, tests have proved inconclusive, 
but there is suspicion.  Then, of course, is a silly little form that you 
are supposed to fill out if you ever have such a problem.

As for cells, a collegue (with his Commercial rating, was going for an
Airline Transport Rating) swore up and down that cells do nothing, and
that the only reason there are phones on airplanes is because with a
standard cell you can phone just about anywhere locally because of the
range an air-ground connection would have a 30,000'.  The plane phones are
supposed to have some sort of device that uses the local cell and forces 
you to pay LD charges.  Whether it is true or not....

But anyway, aircraft instruments operate in just about all bandwiths (HF, 
VHF, UHF mainly, with VHF being very popular.)

Sean

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