When boarding an airplane can I use...?

Question

Okay this is something I've always wondered, I know that when you're on a plane the staff ask everybody to turn off electronical devices but recently I've seen photos and videos that people have taken of the view outside the plane window.

I know that electronical devices interfere with the radar... but does the same apply with camera's?

(I'm talking about a digital camera, but whilst on the subject, is it okay to bring on disposable cameras?)

Thanks in advance for any help received

Answer 1

Every electronic device (anything with a battery, or plugs into the wall, or that is solar-powered) gives off a (very) faint electromagnetic field.  Even a flashlight, believe it or not.  Obviously, things designed to receive/transmit will give off a much stronger (but still not *that* strong) EMF.

Obviously takeoff and landing are the times when the pilots have the most to do, and when the plane is the closest to the ground (so if something went wrong, pilots would have less time to fix it).  So they say you can't use *any* electronics during that time.  Above 10,000 feet they say you can use stuff like cameras, ipods, etc. that aren't designed to receive/transmit anything.

So in theory, a digital camera *could* interfere with the radar.  Will it actually do so?  Probably on about one flight in a trillion.

So, the people you saw posting videos were breaking the rules, if the videos were of takeoff/landing.  But if they were shot when the plane was at 30,000 feet, they weren't breaking the rules.

As far as disposable film cameras...if it has a flash, then it's an electronic device, so you can only use it above 10,000 feet.  If it doesn't have a flash, you can use it whenever you want - it's just plastic levers and gears making it work.

Answer 2

no, digital cameras do not interfere with radar. it's just easier to ban all electronic devices during take-off and landing than to pick and choose which ones are okay. it's just when certain electronic devices give off signals, that's when it interferes and since things like digital (or disposable cameras, for that matter) and iPods don't give off signals, they are okay to use all throughout the flight.