Bill Strauss, an expert in aircraft electromagnetic compatibility at the Naval Air Warfare Center in Patuxent River, MD., and one of the researchers who conducted the study, said in a statement that radio emissions from cellular calls, and the resulting dangers, are higher than previously believed. "These devices can disrupt normal operation of key cockpit instruments, especially Global Positioning System receivers, which are increasingly vital for safe landings."
As part of the study, the research team filled their hand luggage with a broadband antenna and spectrum analyzer and boarded random airplanes crossing the Northeast United States. This equipment was designed to see if calls were being made on airplanes in flight. They found that despite the ban on in-flight cell phone use, an average of one to four calls are made on every U.S. commercial flight!
The tests were aimed primarily at tracking emissions from cell phones, but they showed that other electronic equipment used on planes, such as laptops and game devices, also send out potentially harmful signals. The report adds to the debate that was generated last June after the Federal Communications Commission proposed lifting its 1991 cell phone ban, letting passengers use their phones and other electronic devices while flying.
But the study concluded that lifting the ban is a bad idea. They recommended instead designing special tools for flight crews to track the use of electronic devices during critical stages of the flight.
The FCC said its move was triggered by the public's wish to make calls while flying, but not all air travelers agree. A National Consumers League survey last year showed that most passengers want to keep the ban in place, to avoid annoyance from yapping seat neighbors and trouble hearing emergency announcements.
The ban could be lifted as early as the end of this year.
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