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Good to hear from someone who knows a bit about it. I'm a chemist and flight simulator fanatic, so I have only basic awareness of RF use on aircraft. To my novice mind, there are a couple of potentially problematic areas.
First, aircraft utilize IFR equipment to lock on to directional beams that enable them to land in near zero visibility (Cat IIIa). These are RF signals received by the aircraft from transmitters near the runway approach that lock the aircraft autopilot on to both horizontal and vertical approach paths (IFR) in bad weather. These are highly directional so a false signal from behind the cockpit would not be expected to cause a problem. However the combined RF from 150 devices 'could' cause sufficient noise as to render the equipment unstable, I suspect. Most landings are done under visible conditions but the IFR glideslopes are utilized just the same.
Another problem is the radar. There are two types -- air traffic, and weather. Weather radar is not as big a potential problem because it is forward seeking and primarily used enroute to locate storms, when electronic devices are allowed. The other is air traffic which is used to detect potential collisions with nearby aircraft. This radar is much more omni-directional because it must look up, down as well as front, back. This can be critical when taxiing around an airport or for double checking incoming traffic that may potentially cross a take-off or landing path. Again, air traffic controllers are supposed to handle this, but you don't cross an intersection just because the light is green without looking for cross traffic that may be out of sync.
It's just an extra layer of safety involving hundreds of lives. If you think you're an exception to the request and the law, go for it. You won't be sitting next to me without a request to turn your toys off for just a few minutes.
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