Bring it on.

[Falcon]

And now for something completely different.

I am on airport standby untill 1900 GMT. Ive got manuals, I've got charts, I've got six hours to kill (unless I get called out).

Hit me with those questions

[Lynda]

Every single time I have flown over the Bay of Biscay we get Turbulence, is this just my bad luck or is there a reason??

Lynda

[Falcon]

A bit of both. The bay is notorious among sailors for treacherous storms. The Autumn storms start up in the middle of August. Storms below will disturb the air, and there are also mountains on the north coast of Spain which wont help.

[kallieb]

Hi, Just saw your post about available time to ask questions. I had already posted a question in "Capt. Ray's" thread and thought I would move it over here as well in case you miss the first site.

It is in response to the discussion on cellphones on planes and how they can disrupt the aircraft's systems. My reply was:


Now THAT's unnerving.

If a cellphone can cause that much disruption to a plane's critical/important functions ie disengaging auto-pilot on approach/landing, etc then they should just be removed from people and held in safe keeping rather than let the owners keep possession of them on the plane.

Now yes pilots can land a plane without autopilot but that's not the point.

Safety inquests/procedures/protocols/reviews are always designed to ensure that accidents are prevented. The focus must always be on steps need to be proactive rather than reactive whenever possible.

I do not feel any comfort knowing that people can retain possession of their cellphones in flight.

People (passengers, consumers in general, etc) are far too used to having their own way and doing what they want.

If it's an inconvenience, or if people feel like they are being treated like children, to have their phone taken away my thought is 'suck it up'. It's not about 'you' per se, it's about safety. The occasional idiot who thinks that their need to use a cellphone RIGHT NOW is more important than the safety of the airplane can just complain all they want - too bad.

Interesting thread.

So.....

If cellphones can cause this disruption, and it's obviously known to happen in actuality rather than probability (re the annecdotal examples provided in this thread already) why then are they still allowed to be in a person's possession.

My goodness, we are taking away nail files, knitting needles, etc. why not cellphones. One day you'll see, the disruption caused by a cellphone will play a role in a series of catastrophic events that will result in an accident. Then what: We wring our hands and say...Oh if we only had done something sooner.

things that make you go hmmmmmm.

Just my thoughts, anyone else.

Kallie

[Falcon]

Two different issues with the nail files. Phones are expensive and are a common theft item so taking them off people would not be popular. We want you to carry them so if you have left it on, easy to do with batteries that last for days, you can switch it off.

The way phones work the fact that one is on wont automaticly cause a problem. The cell phone has to be a certain distance from the equipment to affect it. Too far or too close and nothing.(I don't pretend to understand this fully). To put your mind at rest the number one symptom that we get 99% of the time is that buzzing noise through the headsets. When we alert the crew the person always turns it off and every one is an adult about it.
The reason for my post is that people go around with the view that cell phones have no effect at all.

[kallieb]

Thank you kindly for your reply

I remain concerned though, and some aspects of my original post remain unresolved.

I do want to say that I am very mindful that the hazard posed by a nailfile differs from a cellphone; in so far as the intended motivation/intent to cause harm by the holder of the item.

If a person intends to do harm they will do so with any available means. Thus a criminally-minded person will make use of a nailfile in a hazardous way whereas a righteous person will not.

A cellphone, rather, can cause harm regardless of whether the owner intends this use or not.

It is the uncontrolled, unpredictable - yet harmful end result that concerns me.

Buzzing in the ears is an annoyance; but the 1% is what we should not dismiss too hastily. The anecdotes shared ie disruption of the autopilot is (Should be) worrisome.

If I were a pilot, and I knew that there was a statistical probability, supported by anecdotal evidence, that cellphones could cause disruption to key mechanical/ electronic features of the plane, I wquld strongly support the call for a policy (or unbiased review) that focused on "erring on the side of caution".

Just a thought.

Kallie

[Falcon]

Well thats it 1900 time for me to go home. Just look in the staff carpark for the guy in uniform doing an old fashioned Le Mans style start.