Prohibit turning on cell phones on airplanes - fearsome fears?

Although no reliable research has confirmed that mobile phones will affect airline safety, but on flights, using this device is still prohibited.

Using diabetes is a prohibited behavior on flights in the United States.Photo: ABC News.

On flights, passengers or complaining about being unable to contact relatives, music players and game consoles cannot be used to kill time.

Air France is the first airline to test the use of phones to send e-mails as well as in-flight contacts since April 2008. Subsequently, Oman Airlines, the Royal Airline of Jordan and Shenzhen also announced a partnership agreement with OnAir, a Swiss company specializing in communications on European, Middle Eastern and Asian flights, to bring similar utilities to customers. However, the ban is still maintained by most airlines around the world.

When the aircraft is closed, all Mp3 players, electronic toys, pagers, DVD players or other electronic devices must be turned off until the aircraft reaches 10,000 feet ( about 3,048 km). Mobile phones are prohibited from being used at any time on flights. The reason given for portable devices that emit electromagnetic waves will affect the communications system, the control system that controls or impacts the electronic devices of the aircraft.

'Fear of myth'

However, OnAir expert David Russell said: 'The main reason is distant'. He said that when communication safety issues are addressed by modern technology, such bans should be removed.

Dave Carson, Boeing's official, also co-chairman of the Aviation Signal Technical Committee (RTCA), acknowledged, it is difficult to determine the impact of portable devices on aircraft systems.

Indeed, most reports used as evidence of banning the use of electronic devices at elevations below 10,000 feet and mobile phones in all flights are minutiae. Caution plays a key role in maintaining this ban.

Mr. Carson said that the aviation industry is where 'innovation is applied very cautiously'. So convincing aviation experts to keep up with the rapid growth of the consumer electronics industry is no small challenge.

However RTCA is studying the real impact of "hi-tech" devices on the aircraft control system. 'Too simple approaches don't help passengers with the comfort they deserve,' said Dave Carson.

Rick Seaney, CEO of two websites FareCompare.com and ABCNews.com specializing in aircraft industry, said: 'I think people are afraid of what they don't understand. It is a fearsome fear '.

Because of money, the ban can be lifted

The world's first ban on the use of mobile phones was issued in 1991 by the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) just because it affected underground communications. By moving at 500 miles an hour at a distance of thousands of meters from broadcast stations, a mobile phone call will need a lot of broadcast stations and take up too many service channels.

To solve this problem, OnAir uses Picocell, a mini device that acts as a transceiver station to connect to the ground receiving stations, to create conditions like underground in space. . Despite the optimal technology, the FCC kept the ban.

Rob Kenny, the FCC spokesman, said: 'Certainly with technical advances, the FCC will have to revise the ban. But the prerequisite is that we will need to make sure these technologies have no effect on the aircraft. In addition, most people don't want to see cell phones on flights. '

He cites two airlines Delta and American Airlines, which use Aircell technology to allow Wi-Fi connections on flights. Although this technology facilitates voice-based services on customers, the reality of customers is not very excited.

Joe Cruz, a senior at Aircell, said: 'Airlines and customers say they don't want to use this service. They want to be peaceful and silent when flying '.

Mr. Rick Seaney said, although many people do not like to apply this technology because it will make noise but this seems to be unavoidable in the near future: 'People can hate this. However, it brings money to airlines. Therefore, it is possible that mobile phones will be widely used on airplanes in the next four to five years. '