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We all know the process by heart: “Make sure your chair is in an upright position, the tray table is stowed, the window blinds are pulled up, the laptop is stowed in the overhead compartment and the electronics are put on airplane mode.”
Now, the first four make sense, right? The window blinds need to be pulled up so we can see if there is an emergency such as a fire. The tray table needs to be stowed and the seats upright so we can get out of line quickly. Laptops can become projectiles in an emergency because the back pocket isn’t sturdy enough to hold them.
And cell phones need to be put on airplane mode so they can’t cause an airplane emergency, right? Well, it depends on who you ask.
Air navigation and communications rely on radio services, which have been coordinated to minimize interference since the 1920s.
The digital technology in use today is much more advanced than some of the older analog technologies we used 60 years ago. Research has shown that personal electronic devices can emit signals in the same frequency range as an aircraft’s navigation and communication systems, creating what is known as electromagnetic interference.
But in 1992, United States Federal Aviation Administration and Boeing, in one independent research, investigated the use of aircraft jamming electronics and found no problems with computers or other personal electronic devices during non-critical phases of flight. (Takeoff and landing are considered critical phases.)
The US Federal Communications Commission has also begun creating dedicated frequency bands for different uses – such as cell phones, navigation and inflight communications – so that they do not interfere with each other. together. Governments around the globe have developed similar strategies and policies to prevent confounding problems with the aviation industry. In the EU, electronic devices have been allowed to stay since 2014.
Why then, with these global standards, does the airline industry continue to ban the use of mobile phones? One of the problems lies in something you might not expect – land Involvement.
The wireless network is connected by a series of towers; networks can become overloaded if passengers flying over these terrestrial networks are using their phones. The number of passengers flown in 2021 is more than 2.2 billion, and that’s half the number of passengers in 2019. Wireless companies may have a point here.
Of course, when it comes to mobile networks, the biggest change in recent years has been the move to a new standard. Existing 5G wireless networks — the desire for higher-speed data transfers — have raised concerns among many in the aviation industry.
Radio frequency bandwidth is limited, but we’re still working on adding new devices to it. The aviation industry indicates that 5G wireless network bandwidth spectrum very close to the reserved aeronautical bandwidth spectrum, which can cause interfere with the navigation system near the airport aircraft landing assistance.
Airline executives worry about your cell phone’s 5G network. Here’s Why (2021)
airport operation in Australia And America has voiced air safety concerns regarding the 5G rollout, however it appears to have been deployed without such incident. in the European Union. Either way, cell phone use should be limited on airplanes while the issues surrounding 5G are resolved.
Most airlines now offer customers paid or free Wi-Fi service. With new Wi-Fi technologies, passengers could theoretically use their mobile phones to make video calls with friends or in-flight customers.
On a recent flight, I spoke to a flight attendant and asked her opinion about using phones during flights. “It would be inconvenient for cabin crew to wait for passengers to end their calls to ask them if they would like something to drink or eat,” she said. On an aircraft with more than 200 passengers, the in-flight service would take longer to complete if people were on the phone.
For me, the problem with using a phone on an airplane has more to do with the social experience of having more than 200 people on board and all potentially talking at the same time. In a time when disruptive passenger behavior, including “air rage,” is becoming more and more frequent, in-flight cell phone use can be another factor that transforms the entire flight experience. fly.
Disruptive behavior can take many forms, from failure to comply with safety requirements such as not wearing seat belts, verbal scuffles with passengers and crew, to physical altercations with passengers. passengers and crew – commonly known as aerial rampage.
In short – using a phone on an airplane does not currently reduce the aircraft’s performance. But cabin crew may not want to be delayed in providing in-flight service to all passengers – there are a lot of people to serve.
However, 5G technology is encroaching on the radio bandwidth of aircraft navigation systems; we will need more research to answer 5G question involves interfering with aircraft navigation during landing. Remember that when we are discussing the two most important phases of flight, take-off is optional – but landing is required.
