Why do we turn off our cell phones when we take off or land in an airplane?

Question

what happens if everyone had some kind of electronic thing turned on?

Answer 1

Originally they were banned because they didn't know for sure. Now they are 99.99% certain that cell phones would not interfere with aircraft systems.

However, in the US some 50% of passengers don't want to put up with people near them chatting on the phone and disturbing them. 100% of the airlines and their personel don't want to deal with it. Most of the cell phone companies don't want to deal with rapidly switching cell towers. BUT, there are ways around most of these issues and it looks like in Europe they are willing to check into it.

Answer 2

Modern airplanes use a lot of avionics (electrical parts) in their instrument panels such as radios, flight performance LCD screens. Although this doesn't happen in most planes, cell phones can disrupt the operation of these instruments. Most modern planes aren't harmed by these instruments but it is more of a precaution.

Answer 3

The cell phone signals can interfere with airplane navigational systems; hence, you must turn off cell phones and other electronics whilst the plan is taking off an landing so as not to compromise safety for you and your fellow travelers.

Answer 4

they tell us to turn of are cells because they dont want everyone talking on the phone during take-off and landing as they wont beable to do it in-flight as there are no communications. I use my phone as i know a pilot and he sais it doesnt do anything.

Answer 5

Cell phones can and do interfere with the aircrafts systems. It sucks when you're inbound from the faf, and your landing clearance is drowned out by that annoying clicking and buzzing you hear when a cell phone is near your tv/ computer speakers

Answer 6

Same reason as all other electronic equipment, so that you aren't distracted in an emergency.

Answer 7

They want you to turn them off so you'll slide your credit card in the seatback phone in front you. Ok, go ahead, believe the airline that it screws up the avionics. hahahahahaha

Answer 8

There is concern that the cellphones can interfere with the electronics, radios and navigation equipment.

And it's better to be safe than sorry.

If you use a blackberry, you can hear the feedback in phones, radios and televisions when data is being transferred.

Answer 9

d**n it it's a myth

Answer 10

No it is not an urban legend that cell phones can affect flight systems. Your phone will not affect the physical operation of the plane. The flaps, landing gear, and flight controls will all work fine. It's the sensitive instruments used for landing that they can affect. I've been an aviation mechanic for a while, and I always thought it was a myth myself. But I was flying with a friend one day in a small private plane. He had his phone in the map pocket. All of the sudden the some of the instruments started fluctuation wildly. A few seconds later, the phone started ringing. I've seen the same thing happen near TVs or speakers. You could always tell when my roommate's phone was about to ring, because his computer speakers would start hissing and popping. Do I think it's rare, yes. But Nobody wants to take any chances on a dark night during an IFR landing.

Answer 11

If everyone had an electrical  device, there magnetic field would be greater than the planes causing it not to respond and thus having a fatal landing. The main factor is that it messes with the planes electrical system, so you can't lower the flaps to make drag to slow down and/or you can't increase/decrease the throttle. All in all, your messing with the electrical system of the aircraft. However, you shouldn't even take a cell phone or any other electrical device anyways.

Answer 12

FCC regulation and FAA regulations prohibit the use of cell phones on aircraft whilst they are flying.

The European Union has legalized the use. This isn't because they are a bunch of idiots who know nothing, it is because they have looked at the evidence and decided people should be given the option because there is no good evidence that they should not.

The Wikipedia article below is very complete for this, but I think they give too much credence to the rhetoric. The IEEE surveyed aircraft and found that on most flights there was at least one phone left switched on. The inevitable conclusion, since there has never been a crash that could be conclusively linked to problems caused by cell phones, is that it is not an interference issue.

Sadly people will believe what they want to believe and what their friend at the bar or in the pub told them. *shrug*

Answer 13

1) Interference with instruments. That does not mean that if someone gets a call in-flight that the plane will fall out of the sky. Worse case scenario, the pilot's VOR/ILS/LOC might flicker slightly. Its really no big deal, but a flicker may cause the pilots to ask "what the heck was that?", and take unnecessary safety precautions (on the extreme end, a go-around).

2) Lets say something bad was about to happen, like the pilots knew they were about to crash. So, an announcement is made. Pilots and flight attendants are trained to remain calm to the passengers no matter how bad the situation may seem. So if someone shouted at you "OMG WE'RE GOING DOWN!" everyone will listen. But if someone said "okay ladies and gentlemen please assume the crash position", and a person is on their cell-phone, that person may disregard the announcement as unimportant, and find him/herself not ready for the crash landing (or at least looking around wondering why the heck everyone else is in the crash position).

On a side note, I had a passenger take a call on the Cessna I was flying, and to my surprise the VOR I was tracking started to fluctuate a little. It was really small, but went away as soon as the cell phone was put away. I wish I had made a radio call, see if maybe the radios were affected by the cell phone too... maybe next time!

Answer 14

the instruments on the pilots "dashboard" can stop working properly due to interference from cell phones.  i'm not sure if that's just urban legend or not, but why take the chance?  i want the pilot to be able to land safely....i don't like dieing.

Answer 15

Currently FAA states that it is up to the individual airlines to designate their policies on this.  The airlines state that the cell phone must be off for the entire flight, not just take off and landings.

There is no proven evidence that cell phones interfere with anything on the aircraft, infact a couple airlines in Europe has just permitted using cell phones during flight.  

I've talked to a couple of commericail airline pilots and they told me there was not problem in using them on the plane... however since the airline tells you that you cannot you must abide by those rules else you are looking at trouble once you land.

"The hard truth is, that despite years of studies by both the British CAA and the United States NASA, no negative effect on airliner safety has ever been found as a result of the use of cell phones on an airliner, by passengers in the cabin.

Yet, that has not prevented some govt bureaucrats, as well as "consumer activists" from trying to make you think that the opposite is true. They make reference to the British CAA report, as if it was loaded with evidence that cell phones are very dangerous to airliner "

Personally... I hope they never allow them on aircraft, as I do not wish to sit next to someone screaming on his/her phone for hours while flying.