Reply to: How would you you crash a plane?

[Moscow Mule]

It's actually quite hard to keep a lock on a GSM tower when moving at 500 mph. The handshaking and handoffs put too much pressure on the cells. This is why they don't allow you to turn it on.

Pico (or femto) cells mounted on the plane alleviate this problem, but it costs a bundle.

The reason they get you to turn electronics off at takeoff and landing is crowd control. If they have a bad landing / takeoff they don't want you messing around with your iPod, they want you concentrating on the instructions you're being given.

[doodab]

Picocells coming to an aircraft near you fairly soon.

Is that what they have between their ears?

[original PM]

I am pretty sure that it is very little to do with the fact they interfere with the euqipment (although I am sure there is potential for disruption) and it is an awful lot more to do with not having to sit next ignorant loudmouther barrow boys spouting sh!t down the phone for two hours

'' Yeah Awright Guv'nor Yeah I am on a Plane -- Yeah a plane yeah yeah flying on a plane"

"Yeah still flying - will be flying until we land yeah mate on a plane"

Repeat to fade

[Old Hack]

Don't be a show-off. Never be too proud to turn back. There are old pilots and bold pilots, but no old, bold pilots

I heard that. No, I think cautious is the way to be. Funny, but I know some pilots, and one armed officer, and they're all the most reassuringly calm people you'd know.

Although one pilot, Alistair is what I will call him, is a dirty fecker who knows no shame...

[Cliphead]

Strangely its what my wife said, that she'd want me to be cautious.

Cheers, I think I just might you know.

Don't be a show-off. Never be too proud to turn back. There are old pilots and bold pilots, but no old, bold pilots

[Old Hack]

Cautious = safe pilot.

I'd fly with you.

Strangely its what my wife said, that she'd want me to be cautious.

Cheers, I think I just might you know.

[Cliphead]

No, I understand that, and really enjoyed the flying, but I am just cautious; I guess I know what I am like.

Might do at some stage though, I know I enjoyed it very much.

Cautious = safe pilot.

I'd fly with you.

[Old Hack]

Kissing the ground gently without bending anything, that's the key

[Old Hack]

Go for it! I'll be grounded soon because of eyesight problems and I'll miss it sorely after flying for 35 years but like anything you get a passion for it can be the most rewarding experience.

Attention to detail keeps you alive driving or walking across a busy road, no difference.

No, I understand that, and really enjoyed the flying, but I am just cautious; I guess I know what I am like.

Might do at some stage though, I know I enjoyed it very much.

[Cliphead]

No flight is possible, without hitting the terrain at some point. Apart from space flight I guess. Every flight I have taken has ended with the plane touching the terrain...

Kissing the ground gently without bending anything, that's the key

[Cliphead]

I'd agree in the main, I must admit. I just think it's a fairly high stakes gamble, that's all.

I did fly once or twice, and often think about getting a ppl. However, I just don't think I would be thorough enough, or anal enough, in the attention to detail you'd need. That's not intended as an insult by the way, on the contrary. I don't think I'd be good at it.

Go for it! I'll be grounded soon because of eyesight problems and I'll miss it sorely after flying for 35 years but like anything you get a passion for it can be the most rewarding experience.

Attention to detail keeps you alive driving or walking across a busy road, no difference.

[Old Hack]

Banning electronics at some or all stages of a flight is for litigation avoidance not terrain avoidance.

No flight is possible, without hitting the terrain at some point. Apart from space flight I guess. Every flight I have taken has ended with the plane touching the terrain...

[Cliphead]

Having worked with some GSM radio engineers some years ago, they told me that the phones weren't the issue in total - but the base stations that adjust their RF output according to demand and the phones put out more power in their request for the base station and anchor current cell - add to this passing through several cells whilst taking off causes a maelstrom of RF cell pass-through, request and send - which has not been exhaustively tested to prove safe. And therefore to exclude this RF activity is probably a good idea.

However, once you are up there out of the range of a base station maybe there isn't a problem - but who could be arsed testing?

Banning electronics at some or all stages of a flight is for litigation avoidance not terrain avoidance.

[Fishface]

its not the phones themselves...

Having worked with some GSM radio engineers some years ago, they told me that the phones weren't the issue in total - but the base stations that adjust their RF output according to demand and the phones put out more power in their request for the base station and anchor current cell - add to this passing through several cells whilst taking off causes a maelstrom of RF cell pass-through, request and send - which has not been exhaustively tested to prove safe. And therefore to exclude this RF activity is probably a good idea.

However, once you are up there out of the range of a base station maybe there isn't a problem - but who could be arsed testing?

[Old Hack]

You'll never be a statistic then

Prangs >= driver fcking up.

I'd agree in the main, I must admit. I just think it's a fairly high stakes gamble, that's all.

I did fly once or twice, and often think about getting a ppl. However, I just don't think I would be thorough enough, or anal enough, in the attention to detail you'd need. That's not intended as an insult by the way, on the contrary. I don't think I'd be good at it.