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Originally Posted by WarningU2

I have flown with my Sony ereader. Flight attendents have seen it and never said anything until ... yesterday. Turn off electronic devices. I said its an electronic book - it doesn't have wireless and it admits no frequency to interfere with the planes electronics. Just because I questioned this it was like I committed an act of terrorism. I tell ya the world has gone mad. Too many people with a little authority and not thinking. If an ereader can bring down a planes communication system I'm really worried.

Computers contain microprocessors that produce electromagnetic radiation. Most of this energy is controlled for its intended purpose, but some escapes, particularly when it is transmitted to and fro between other components, such as memory. This wasted emission of uncontrolled energy is known as electromagnetic noise.

This is similar to the wasted light that escapes upwards from street lights into the night sky, known as light pollution, which is scattered by the Earth's atmosphere and interferes with astronomical observatories - light is also electromagnetic radiation.

If you move a radio receiver, that is configured to receive FM wavelengths, close to a computer, you can sometimes "hear" electromagnetic noise, because it interferes with the radio's reception - the sound emitted is a hissing or sizzling, sometimes referred to as white noise.

Your e-book reader is a computer - it contains a microprocessor, memory, etc. Aircraft use a range of highly sensitive communications equipment - including radio receivers, transmitters, transponders, radars, etc - as well as computers of their own - all of which utilise electromagnetic radiation.

Airlines are concerned that electromagnetic noise, emitted by electronic devices used by passengers, may interfere with an aircraft's sensitive equipment. IMHO, turning off passenger's electronic devices during short periods - because communications equipment is absolutely crucial during take off and landing - is a small price to pay for ensuring maximum possible safety.

Originally Posted by Belfaborac

Also, all e-readers are not created equal. Sony's models, with their aluminium skins, should be pretty much 100% safe considering the relatively miniscule EM noise they emit will be screened by the metal. Readers with a plastic carapace will constitute a larger, though still miniscule, risk.

Still, I'd never argue if a flight attendant asked me to turn my 505 off. Quite frankly, anyone who actually feels unduly inconvenienced when asked to turn his or her reader off during takeoff and landing is likely pathologically self-absorbed.

Whilst I agree that the Sony reader - by virtue of its metal body - probably emits less energy, its screen is not aluminium. Yes, the risk is minimal, because radiated energy follows the inverse-square law, whereby its strength is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the emitting source. Nevertheless, I feel it is better to err on the side of caution. Flying involves taking risks and fewer the better, unless someone feels they can defy gravity indefinitely, with impunity.

Originally Posted by captkjaneway

I like to concentrate on ensure the wings are not going to rattle off, the doors are closed and we actually make it up in the air during the first 15 minutes so being Kindleless isn't a big issue!

Landing is at least as dangerous as taking off, nevertheless, in terms of statistics, flying is a comparatively safe form of travel.