[Az-Geocaching] GPS on Airlines
Donn Sanford
listserv@azgeocaching.com
Sat, 26 Jul 2003 12:17:18 -0700
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I have ALWAYS asked, and have ALWAYS been told NO!
-----Original Message-----
From: az-geocaching-admin@listserv.azgeocaching.com
[mailto:az-geocaching-admin@listserv.azgeocaching.com]On Behalf Of William
Noll
Sent: Saturday, July 26, 2003 9:58 AM
To: listserv@azgeocaching.com
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
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<DIV><SPAN class=3D571511619-26072003><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff>I have ALWAYS=20
asked, and have ALWAYS been told NO!</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=3Dltr style=3D"MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV class=3DOutlookMessageHeader dir=3Dltr align=3Dleft><FONT =
face=3DTahoma=20
size=3D2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B>=20
az-geocaching-admin@listserv.azgeocaching.com=20
[mailto:az-geocaching-admin@listserv.azgeocaching.com]<B>On Behalf Of=20
</B>William Noll<BR><B>Sent:</B> Saturday, July 26, 2003 9:58 =
AM<BR><B>To:</B>=20
listserv@azgeocaching.com<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Az-Geocaching] GPS =
on=20
Airlines<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>That's interesting. The FAA.GOV website is down =
right now, I=20
couldn't find any official govt info. Here is a website regarding GPS =
on=20
airlines:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2><A=20
=
href=3D"http://gpsinformation.net/airgps/airgps.htm">http://gpsinformatio=
n.net/airgps/airgps.htm</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2><A=20
=
href=3D"http://gpsinformation.net/airgps/gpsrfi.htm">http://gpsinformatio=
n.net/airgps/gpsrfi.htm</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>There is no real safety threat created by a =
GPS.=20
Laptop Computers generate far more RFI (radio frequency interference) =
than any=20
GPS could. What about terrorists? Again, the GPS is not banned, only =
its usage=20
during flight. Most airlines ban RFI generating electronics during =
takeoff and=20
landing due to the inherent potential of RFI interference during these =
critical modes of flight. Cell phones are supposedly banned from use =
because=20
they 'light up' a significant number of cellular tower antennas (due =
to=20
line-of sight), but the real reason could be (speculated by some) that =
the=20
airlines would lose mucho dinero from the installed =
Air-Fones.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>There has never been a documented case in which an =
aircraft=20
has lost it's NAV instruments (GPS, VOR, or ILS) due to a GPS (or in =
that=20
case, any other RFI generating device).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>Remember, it's ultimately up to the pilot and =
crew. It NEVER=20
hurts to ask!!!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>Bill</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=3Dltr=20
style=3D"PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV=20
style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>=20
<A title=3Dcache-quest@cox.net =
href=3D"mailto:cache-quest@cox.net">Team=20
Cache-Quest</A> </DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=3Dlistserv@azgeocaching.com=20
=
href=3D"mailto:listserv@azgeocaching.com">listserv@azgeocaching.com</A> =
</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Friday, July 25, 2003 =
11:25=20
PM</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [Az-Geocaching] GPS =
on=20
Airlines</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>I was on an American Airlines flight this week. I was =
half dozing=20
as the Flight Attendant went through the list of banned electronic =
devices=20
(radios, ceel phones, etc.), but my ears perked up when she ended =
the list=20
with GPS devices. I'm sure I'm never heard them specifically =
listed=20
before. I got out their magazine and looked up the list in the =
information section. Sure enough, GPS devices were in the =
banned=20
list. I don't know if this is a new policy or not, but I've =
used mine=20
Garmin Etrex Vista on flights for the past couple years and was =
never=20
questioned. I was on three other flights after that one this =
week and=20
the attendants didn't not mention GPS devices.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Thanks, </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Jerry</FONT></DIV>
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