This thread has the potential to be useful rather than merely titillating. But first we will need additional categories. Pretend you are wishing to fly somewhere, say, Thailand. You look for airlines that fly to that destination and find, perhaps, Air China, Thai Airlines, and Korean Air. Next you look on their websites to ascertain their respective electronic-gadget-in-flight policy.
What? They don't offer any information? So you must buy a ticket and take your chances. I did this. I found these policies in the Mabuhay in-flight magazine of Philippine Airlines:
Quote:
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
In the interest of flight safety, all transportable electronic equipment are not to be operated during take-off, climb-out, descent, final approach and landing, except for personal electronic life support systems.
Electronic devices which intentionally transmit radio signals should never be used for the whole duration of the flight. These include, but are not limited to: radio transceivers, CB radios, cellular phones, and electronic remote control transmitters.
Transportable electronic equipment which are non-transmitters and without any accessories that would transmit/receive radio signals, such as laptop computers without WiFi and wireless peripheral devices, video cameras/players, tape recorders/players, CD/DVD/MP3 players, calculators, electronic entertainment devices and electronic shavers maybe used after the safe use of these has been announced.
Some flight conditions may require the discontinuance of the use of electronic devices and will be announced by the crew.
Personal electronic life support systems such as hearing aids, electronic nerve stimulators, respirators may be used throughout the flight.
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Notice that your laptop with Wifi is prohibited even if you have the WiFi off. This goes for readers too. I have colored the text above as it appeared in the in-flight magazine.
I do not argue with the attendants. A modern aircraft is a complex piece of electronic gear. Many of the controls are fly-by-wire with signals being carried over one or more networks. Signals that guide and control the aircraft are also broadcast outside the aircraft. Any chance of electrical interference could be catastrophic.
Back when automation was taking over in the airline industry it was said they were hiring big dogs as co-pilots. The computer flew the aircraft. The pilot watched the computer fly the aircraft. And the dog bit the pilot if he dared to touch the controls.
With takeoffs, landings and in-flight navigation left up to electronic devices, do you want to make the judgment about what devices are safe or not? Or would you leave it up to the designers and the aircraft crew?
Now perhaps if we had a section of the forum or the wiki that documented airline electronic use policies, categorized by airline, we could decide which ones to fly on. Personally I take it as an opportunity to engage in nostalgia. I take along a paper book. You can still find them in some dusty used book stores.