Why need to turn off the phone, pull the window when the aircraft takes off / landed?

When flying, we are often reminded by the attendants: "Turn off mobile phones and portable electronic devices, open window covers, straighten the back of the chair, fold the table and fasten the seatbelt" Every time the plane takes off / landed. Why are we required to do so and how does it affect flight safety? Today, we will find the answer together.

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Why power off mobile phones and electronic devices?

Since 1991, the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has issued a ban on the use of personal electronic devices including cell phones on aircraft, although at that time the Federal Aviation Administration The United States (FAA) does not, in fact, prohibit the use of personal electronic devices. This is a controversial issue so far that has not yet ended.

The leading reason given by the FCC is that the operation of devices can emit radio waves that interfere with the aircraft's sensitive electronic system . The aircraft is equipped with a wide range of electronic systems that allow pilots and aircraft to communicate with the ground itself, support orientation and supervision of other equipment. These systems are called avionics systems . Many components in the system use radio signals to send and receive information so they are potentially interfered by broadcast devices using the same radio frequency. Radiofrequency radiation is also capable of affecting the current in the conductors so that avionics can be affected. Although there is still no clear evidence to show the impact of electronic devices on aircraft operation, the ban still exists and many airlines around the world have responded to the motto " safety first".

Picture 1 of Why need to turn off the phone, pull the window when the aircraft takes off / landed?

In addition, the flight take-off and landing stages are considered the two most important stages for each flight and require the crew to concentrate highly, maintain contact with the air traffic control station. ATC and ensure the operation of all equipment on the aircraft. The take-off and landing stages are determined when the aircraft is flying below 10,000 ft (~ 3048m) and the average aircraft will take between 15 and 20 minutes to reach this height. Therefore, the electronic device usage limit will be within the flight start and end time period.

Mobile phones are of course prohibited from being used entirely on flights. When asked to turn off the power or bring the device to Airplane Mode, it means the device must be completely disconnected from the radio connections. Other electronic devices such as music players, game consoles, laptops, etc. must be turned off during the take-off and landing stages. Devices such as pacemakers, hearing aids, electric shavers are still used because they do not interfere.

In addition to eliminating the risk of interference, the ban on the use of electronic devices also prevents the possibility of injuring passengers in the event of an aircraft crashing into bad weather, the device may be knocked over. dangerous. In addition, the ban on the use of personal electronic devices during the take-off process also allows passengers to focus on tracking safety directions more and the crew is not distracted when performing the task. my case.

Picture 2 of Why need to turn off the phone, pull the window when the aircraft takes off / landed?

In addition, the FCC also offers another reason for the fact that cell phone operations or transceiver devices may interfere with underground communications networks. When you make a call at a height of less than 10,000 ft, the signal will be transmitted through a series of mobile broadcast columns instead of just 1 and if more than one person makes the call, the underground communication network will be blocked. As for FAA, the US federal aviation agency recommends that passengers switch to Airplane Mode by 30,000 ft (~ 9144m), the phone cannot receive mobile signals and if it keeps searching The signal will quickly drain the battery when you land.

In August 2012, the FAA began to consider easing the use of personal electronic devices on airplanes although phones were still banned. By October 2013, FAA announced that airlines could consider allowing passengers to use portable electronic devices safely in all stages of the flight. The phone can be used with entertainment functions and must be brought to Airplane Mode or turned off the mobile connection, not using the contact feature under the FCC ban. Short-range Bluetooth connectivity is still allowed, you can use peripheral devices such as Bluetooth keyboards. If the airline offers Wi-Fi service on the flight, passengers can still use these services. During takeoff / landing, electronic equipment must be held firmly on the hand or placed in the front seat pocket.

However, we should note that each airline is allowed to set its own rules and it is also up to the laws of each country to use prohibited phones or electronic devices on aircraft. or not. Therefore, when flying an airline, you must comply with the airline's regulations as well as the laws in the country where the flight is taken / landed. In Vietnam, all three airlines currently prohibit the use of mobile phones on aircraft and allow the use of some electronic devices after the aircraft has stabilized altitude.

Why open windows?

Picture 3 of Why need to turn off the phone, pull the window when the aircraft takes off / landed?

Besides having to turn off cell phones and electronic devices when the plane takes off and landed, the next thing you have to do is open the window or specifically the window cover. Sometimes the outside light is too bright to make you feel uncomfortable, but we are forced to do this at the attendant's request. Why?

We have some answers according to the suggestions of many users on the stackexchange site:

  1. Passengers are very curious so they will quickly discover an abnormality outside, such as a sign of damage on the wings, engines or strange objects and immediately notify the flight crew. And to do this, the windows on the plane are required to open.
  2. In an emergency, the time to exit the aircraft will be calculated in seconds. If the window coverings are open, the crew can observe external conditions and this helps them plan evacuation, such as which emergency exit doors to use.
  3. During daytime flights, opening windows and maximizing the light in the cabin will help the eyes get used to the lighting better. This means that if something goes wrong and the passenger needs to be evacuated quickly, the light contrast will not change abruptly and the passenger is not affected by vision.
  4. At night, the window coverings are opened, the light in the cabin is reduced to help underground rescue workers be able to observe what happens inside the cabin easily from the outside.
  5. Passengers are required to open window covers before taking / landing because these are important stages in each flight and most aviation accidents occur during this period.

Why should you straighten your chair, fold the table and buckle up?

Picture 4 of Why need to turn off the phone, pull the window when the aircraft takes off / landed?

There are two main reasons that are very simple when you are asked to straighten your chair.First , when you straighten the seat, the seat position is locked and vice versa, when you fall back on the seat, the seat position is not locked. This is the mechanism of every seat on the plane and you are too familiar with having to press the button on the armrest to release the lock and fall back on the seat. In an emergency, a chair that is not locked in place will be subjected to more force and the back seat will be dangerous to the person sitting on the chair as well as the person behind.

Secondly , the person sitting behind the chair that is not straight-backed will not be able to get the most stable posture in the event of a collision. There are many ways to prevent body piercing when the aircraft is hit and in the late 1980s, FAA also studied a variety of methods for passengers to prepare posture to receive collisions. Before a civilian aircraft is certified, the manufacturer must prove that it can allow passengers to evacuate quickly. For this reason, section 121.311 (d) US federal aviation law requires a seat backrest on the aircraft to have a safety lock mechanism.

Regarding the dining table, there are two simple reasons for you to fold it neatly when the plane takes off / lands.First , a compact table will create space, which helps you and the next person to evacuate faster in an emergency. Second , when a collision occurs, if you do not tighten your seatbelt, your body can slide forward, hit the dining table and the internal organs may be damaged.

Picture 5 of Why need to turn off the phone, pull the window when the aircraft takes off / landed?

As for the seat belt, its function we all know. The seat belt helps to secure the body with the seat and minimizes injury when the aircraft is jolted or collided. Passengers can remove the seat belt when the aircraft has reached a stable height but is required to install the rope during takeoff / landing and every time the seatbelt beacon is turned on.

Some passengers often despise this request and have personally witnessed a case of near-accident due to not installing a seatbelt. During a flight to Da Nang, although the plane has reached a stable height, the beacon beacon is still on. There is a female passenger who needs to use the WC but the flight attendants do not allow to leave the seat and ask to still install the cable because the beacon is not turned off. The attendants enthusiastically explained that although he had reached the height, the captain still had not turned off the seatbelt signal lights because of the possibility that the aircraft would go into bad weather. She ignored the warning, didn't wear a seatbelt, and as a result, the shocking plane flew into the turbulence that made her almost fall out of her seat. You must have encountered the same situation when traveling on a plane and the sincere advice is that you should install the wires every time the light turns on to prevent an unfortunate accident.

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