Re: [Az-Geocaching] GPS on Airlines

It is also interesting that AA now allows cell phone use after landing while the plane is taxiing to the gate.

Jerry
----- Original Message -----
From: William Noll
To: listserv@azgeocaching.com
Sent: Saturday, July 26, 2003 9:57 AM
Subject: Re: [Az-Geocaching] GPS on Airlines


That's interesting. The FAA.GOV website is down right now, I couldn't find any official govt info. Here is a website regarding GPS on airlines:
http://gpsinformation.net/airgps/airgps.htm
http://gpsinformation.net/airgps/gpsrfi.htm

There is no real safety threat created by a GPS. Laptop Computers generate far more RFI (radio frequency interference) than any GPS could. What about terrorists? Again, the GPS is not banned, only its usage during flight. Most airlines ban RFI generating electronics during takeoff and landing due to the inherent potential of RFI interference during these critical modes of flight. Cell phones are supposedly banned from use because they 'light up' a significant number of cellular tower antennas (due to line-of sight), but the real reason could be (speculated by some) that the airlines would lose mucho dinero from the installed Air-Fones.

There has never been a documented case in which an aircraft has lost it's NAV instruments (GPS, VOR, or ILS) due to a GPS (or in that case, any other RFI generating device).

Remember, it's ultimately up to the pilot and crew. It NEVER hurts to ask!!!

Bill

    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: Team Cache-Quest 
    To: listserv@azgeocaching.com 
    Sent: Friday, July 25, 2003 11:25 PM
    Subject: [Az-Geocaching] GPS on Airlines

    I was on an American Airlines flight this week.  I was half dozing as the Flight Attendant went through the list of banned electronic devices (radios, ceel phones, etc.), but my ears perked up when she ended the list with GPS devices.  I'm sure I'm never heard them specifically listed before.  I got out their magazine and looked up the list in the information section.  Sure enough, GPS devices were in the banned list.  I don't know if this is a new policy or not, but I've used mine Garmin Etrex Vista on flights for the past couple years and was never questioned.  I was on three other flights after that one this week and the attendants didn't not mention GPS devices.

    Thanks, 
    Jerry