Using ebook readers on aeroplanes?

[J. Strnad]

I thought that the "no cell phones" rule was because it's frigging annoying to have someone yakking on their cell phone beside you.

As for "not having anything in your lap," I'm afraid that wouldn't work for me as mine is not detachable.

[delphidb96]

Originally Posted by AprilHare

It wouldn't matter whether its a wireless liseuse or not.
And my stewardess will soon find out if she talked to me a lot
Don't they call them hostesses nowadays?..

Well, given that *you* are discussing a wireless 'liseuse', instead of a real, working ereader...

Derek

[BenLee]

Hey when it comes to flying, I'd rather be safe than sorry. Turning off my Kindle is a minor inconvenience to me if it's just during takeoff and landing. I'm sure they wouldn't enforce this rule if it didn't truly pose a risk to the functioning of the plane. I don't understand the physics of wireless waves, so i can't say for sure. But I mean, they even hand out iPads for you after the takeoff, so it's definitely not an issue that you use it except for takeoffs and landings.

[nashira]

Originally Posted by BenLee

Hey when it comes to flying, I'd rather be safe than sorry. Turning off my Kindle is a minor inconvenience to me if it's just during takeoff and landing. I'm sure they wouldn't enforce this rule if it didn't truly pose a risk to the functioning of the plane. I don't understand the physics of wireless waves, so i can't say for sure. But I mean, they even hand out iPads for you after the takeoff, so it's definitely not an issue that you use it except for takeoffs and landings.

...oh hey! Jetstar! I hadn't seen that one. I wonder what's on the iPads.

[cfrizz]

It's better to be safe rather than sorry or DEAD! I simply turn whatever off until they give the all clear. It's not a big deal.

[Roger Parkinson]

Originally Posted by HarryT

The reason for the rule is because of the way that mobile (cell) phones work; when they lose contact with a base station they increase their transmitter power in an attempt to reconnect - you've probably notice that if, for example, you're on a ship and out of contact with the network, your phone's battery will run flat very quickly. Imagine a plane with 400 phones on board, all transmitting a maximum power to attempt to contact a base station - that's a considerable amount of electrical interference to deal with.

Many European airlines do now permit mobile phones on board, and the way that they work is to have a base station on the aircraft itself, hence all the phones are working at minimum power, and there isn't the interference problem.

That makes complete sense. Except that we could use it as an argument to keep our phones ON during takeoff and landing on the assumption they would be happily contacting the nearest base station at those times

(no I am not being serious)

[JaneD]

But, just for the sake of argument, it's really the wireless that's the problem, right? So if I turned off my wireless but left my kindle in sleep mode, that really wouldn't pose any danger to the plane.

I promise I'll be good and turn it off if they request it, just curious.

[kindlekitten]

Originally Posted by JaneD

But, just for the sake of argument, it's really the wireless that's the problem, right? So if I turned off my wireless but left my kindle in sleep mode, that really wouldn't pose any danger to the plane.

I promise I'll be good and turn it off if they request it, just curious.

this topic has actually really been done to death here . but given that there are always new people, and people just encountering these issues, we are here to please. the requirement for the turn off is more or less based on when most of these electronics were based on an older technology. your ebooks are not an issue unless they have been loaded with plastique.

I used to fly to a different city every week for work for a year and a half. I always had 2 laptops and 3 cellphones. I was invariably working on my work laptop until the very last minute prior to boarding. I had long ago gotten into the habit of just closing my laptop and not turning it off, so I continued to do that. suffice it to say that for a year and a half I flew with 2 laptops in sleep mode. nothing ever happened, nothing was detected. I still do it. my personal cell phone is one of these stupid touch ones, I finally realized that turning it off and putting it in my hip pocket was a no-go. it turns itself on. then it makes butt calls which of course I can't hear because I am sitting on it. this has happened several times on planes. now it flies in my cargo pocket.

my Kindle flies in my lap. when the flight attendants are walking up and down the aisle, I simply keep my Oberon cover closed loosely, all they see is an exquistely carved piece of leather, assume it may be a purse or a bible, we smile and nod, they carry on, I read.

[begem0t]

Strange, it's if someone wants to be told "such and such flight has hone down because of a cellphone onboard". Than everyone can start complaining how unsafe aircraft are.

Ok, so here's some info. Besides the perfect explanation HarryT gave, I've read about a cases with *OLDER* devices (remember those big phones we once had?) actually messing-up the ILS approach system of the plane. Which meant the planes had to be landed visually, without the benefit of the navigational equipment.

So, next time you decide to keep your phone on, think what happens when the pilot is lining up for landing, looking at the displays in front of him, and suddenly some of his equipment goes crazy and shows the strip 2 miles to the left, and the height is suddenly 50 feet.... OK, most probably this want crash the plane, worst case he'll do a go-around and land safely, pilots are trained for emergencies, but do you really want to try this?

[Teddman]

Just hold it inside a flight magazine when they come by.

[HarryT]

I must admit that I do find this "the rules don't apply to me" attitude a little discouraging. I take the view personally that if you travel by air, you accept the "rules" that accompany air travel. It doesn't matter whether or not they make any sense; by choosing to fly, you are implicitly (and legally, for that matter) agreeing to abide by the rules.

[sunnysmiles]

Well Ive actually kept mine on without a problem and only once been asked to turn it

[nashira]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I must admit that I do find this "the rules don't apply to me" attitude a little discouraging. I take the view personally that if you travel by air, you accept the "rules" that accompany air travel. It doesn't matter whether or not they make any sense; by choosing to fly, you are implicitly (and legally, for that matter) agreeing to abide by the rules.

I'm not actually sure everyone knows some modern devices can be turned off in the first place - I had to show my mother how to turn off an ipod, and I had to explain to my otherwise decent with computers Nan that yes, laptops do shut down. Things with sleep modes can be a bit deceptive to the non-techy

And I don't think most people would refuse if the steward/stewardess actually asked them to turn something off.

Not saying there aren't people who would fib or whatever... but most people are generally alright.

[sabredog]

I only recently returned from a holiday east with my wife. We both took our PDA's to read on the flight and only used them whilst allowed too. Best to comply with the normal procedure.

Qantas told me before we started holidays that it was preferable to turn devices off if convenient whilst take off and landing was under way.

[LDBoblo]

Strikes me as a bit infantile, disrespectful, and selfish that people would ignore a benign and harmless rule like turning off electronics during a few minutes of a flight. There are plenty of better things to get offended by.