Using ebook readers on aeroplanes?

[Soph94]

Hi, just wondering what people's experiences are using ebook readers on aeroplanes? We're usually told (well in Aus anyway) not to use any MP3 players/electronics during takeoff and landing, and just wondering if ebook readers are generally classed in that category?

[AprilHare]

Damned wristwatches crashing planes...

[FizzyWater]

I've been asked to turn mine off. It's "an electronic gadget" and that's all they know.

[AprilHare]

It's all so very very silly. The only handheld gadgets that could possibly hurt a plane are a radio jammer or EM pulse device. Oh, and live ammunition..

[AnemicOak]

On my Delta flight when I went to Disney World in April they specifically asked that any Kindle's and like devices not be used during take off/landing and that the wireless be turned off.

[AprilHare]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

On my Delta flight when I went to Disney World in April they specifically asked that any Kindle's and like devices not be used during take off/landing and that the wireless be turned off.

Those low energy 3G signals are gunna burrow through a tube of aluminium and fry everything, man.

[hch568]

Yeah! Asking people to turn off E-Reader is quite silly (it's like asking people not to read their paper-back novel on the plane!! Like our "intensive/active/relaxed?" brain wave would crash the plane?!).

But I guess their excuses would be: some E-Reader has wireless and other cool functions, and its just like all the wireless gadgets (even non-wireless mp3 players) that cannot be used on the plane. I don't think wireless would actually crash the plane (they allow people to use in-plane phone and charge high $$$ accordingly), but they can't distinguish one (such as radio jammer or EM pulse device. ) from the other, so they ban all of them.

Asking the steward/stewardess to check/know about which one is Read-only and which one is multiple-functioning E-Reader would be asking too much for them (in their opinion), don't you think?

[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?..

Originally Posted by hch568

Yeah! Asking people to turn off E-Reader is quite silly (it's like asking people not to read their paper-back novel on the plane!! Like our "intensive/active/relaxed?" brain wave would crash the plane?!).

But I guess their excuses would be: some E-Reader has wireless and other cool functions, and its just like all the wireless gadgets (even non-wireless mp3 players) that cannot be used on the plane. I don't think wireless would actually crash the plane (they allow people to use in-plane phone and charge high $$$ accordingly), but they can't distinguish one (such as radio jammer or EM pulse device. ) from the other, so they ban all of them.

Asking the steward/stewardess to check/know about which one is Read-only and which one is multiple-functioning E-Reader would be asking too much for them (in their opinion), don't you think?

[Roger Parkinson]

I think the rule is anything electronic must be switched off for takeoff and landing. Once they turn off the seatbelt sign after takeoff you can pull out your toys and turn them on (with exceptions for anything that transmits). I guess they just ignore digital watches and pacemakers for everyone's convenience.

I read some stats a while back that assumed one person in 1000 forgot to turn their phone of on US flights. That means that something like 25000 flights per year in the US have a live phone on board. So far not one single incident has been attributed to a phone causing a problem, so I'm skeptical that any of this is a real problem. Surely Al Queda would be onto this if it were? Or maybe they are.

I'm imagining a lot of frustrated wannabe bombers taking regular flights and surreptitiously leaving their phones etc switched on.

[weatherwax]

Well you have to switch off your computer and MP3 players, why should ebook readers be different? Think flight crew has already enough to do to try and figure out which devices should be turned off.
There was another thread about this topic a couple of weeks ago.

[MaggieScratch]

I've cut back on flying this year so I don't have to deal with TSA nonsense, but the last couple of times I've flown, they specifically said if the electronic device has an off button, turn it off. So there you go.

I read the inflight magazine or tat* until the plane reaches altitude. And then I prepare my ebook evangelization spiel because my neighbors and the flight attendants often ask about it!

*since someone usually asks: tatting I use plastic shuttles, so no problem with TSA.

[AprilHare]

How nice for the off switch eh?
It's a shame it doesn't actually turn the device off...
Tatting looks fascinating by the way

Originally Posted by MaggieScratch

I've cut back on flying this year so I don't have to deal with TSA nonsense, but the last couple of times I've flown, they specifically said if the electronic device has an off button, turn it off. So there you go.

I read the inflight magazine or tat* until the plane reaches altitude. And then I prepare my ebook evangelization spiel because my neighbors and the flight attendants often ask about it!

*since someone usually asks: tatting I use plastic shuttles, so no problem with TSA.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by AprilHare

How nice for the off switch eh?
It's a shame it doesn't actually turn the device off...
Tatting looks fascinating by the way

When they say "turn it off", they mean "turn it off". ie, in the case of the Sony, slide and hold the power switch until you see the "Shutdown" question. Again with the Kindle, slide and hold the power switch for 5s.

[hch568]

Originally Posted by HarryT

When they say "turn it off", they mean "turn it off". ie, in the case of the Sony, slide and hold the power switch until you see the "Shutdown" question. Again with the Kindle, slide and hold the power switch for 5s.

When I first got my garmin-asus n10 smartphone, I pressed the off button and the screen was off and I thought "it's off" and then the phone rang!

[Iphinome]

Originally Posted by Roger Parkinson

I think the rule is anything electronic must be switched off for takeoff and landing. Once they turn off the seatbelt sign after takeoff you can pull out your toys and turn them on (with exceptions for anything that transmits). I guess they just ignore digital watches and pacemakers for everyone's convenience.

I read some stats a while back that assumed one person in 1000 forgot to turn their phone of on US flights. That means that something like 25000 flights per year in the US have a live phone on board. So far not one single incident has been attributed to a phone causing a problem, so I'm skeptical that any of this is a real problem. Surely Al Queda would be onto this if it were? Or maybe they are.

I'm imagining a lot of frustrated wannabe bombers taking regular flights and surreptitiously leaving their phones etc switched on.

My bad, I've left my phone on before... And sat next to someone who jabbered on hers for an hour before a flight attendant told her to turn it off. Then she kept it hidden when the flight attendant was in sight. No fireball of doom. it is almost as if the rules around airports and airplanes are just pulled out of thin air and serve no real purpose.