• Proposed Bill Pushes for iPads to be allowed during Flight Takeoffs

    by
    Akshay Masand
    Published on 2013-03-09 12:14 PM
    33 Comments Comments


    Remember the days when you would be sitting on a plane listening to music and the ever so kind flight attendant would ask you to turn off your electronic device? Believe it or not, those days are coming to an end as Senator Claire McCaskill is putting together a bill that will take out this restriction. In 2011, the FAA wanted to replace the paper flight manuals on airplanes with iPads and in 2012 the rule was expanded so that pilots were allowed to use their tablets during all stages of flight.

    Statements released via AppleInsider reports:

    Frustrated with the slow process at the FAA, Sen. Claire McCaskill said Thursday she will write legislation to allow passengers to use electronic devices during all aspects of flight.

    The proposed bill would not apply to cellphone use but would dramatically expand the use of iPads, other tablets, music players and other devices before, during and after flight.
    Over the years, many questioned the reasoning behind turning off electronic devices during takeoff and till this day, no reason given has been scientifically proved or supported with proof. It has been said that electronic devices could interrupt an airplane’s necessary flight equipment or navigation because of the devices radio waves- but this theory has been invalidated a long time ago.

    A Rulemaking Committee has been asked to look into it by the FAA and they are expected to share their findings this summer.

    What are your thoughts on this whole ordeal? I know I am sick of having my show or song cut off just because we are about to take off.

    Source: Politico via AppleInsider
    This article was originally published in forum thread: Proposed Bill Pushes for iPads to be allowed during Flight Takeoffs started by Akshay Masand View original post
    1. Categories:
    2. iOS,
    3. Apple,
    4. iPad
    Comments 33 Comments
    1. Own3d's Avatar
      Own3d - 2013-03-09, 12:19 PM
      This is ignorant. One of the main reasons for you to disable all electronics would be to be fully alert during takeoff. If something were to go wrong, they'd want you to be able to brace for impact and/or follow directions in a matter of seconds, versus having to put your iPad away before doing so.

      The person trying to push this bill through is clearly too important for everyone.
    1. exNavy's Avatar
      exNavy - 2013-03-09, 01:41 PM
      Mythbusters disproved this a long time ago. One of our family members is a pilot and uses his cellphone in flight. Yeah very disruptive.
    1. yimmortal's Avatar
      yimmortal - 2013-03-09, 01:43 PM
      lets be realistic, if we are in a crash there is NOTHING we can do to prevent it or help out in any way, and that flight attendant (waitress) is just as useless as we would be.. i'd rather die watching the simpsons than watching the back of the seat in front of me....
    1. JazJon's Avatar
      JazJon - 2013-03-09, 01:52 PM
      About time! Things would fly by faster if we could avoid that long boring offline no iphone period, and actually enjoy it as we taxi.
    1. NewD's Avatar
      NewD - 2013-03-09, 02:39 PM
      Quote Originally Posted by exNavy View Post
      Mythbusters disproved this a long time ago. One of our family members is a pilot and uses his cellphone in flight. Yeah very disruptive.
      This would be an interesting feat as cellular phone service doesn't work "in flight". I know. I've tried. . No signal 42,000 feet up. Not sure WHY there isn't a signal - but there isn't.
    1. GrumpySod's Avatar
      GrumpySod - 2013-03-09, 03:03 PM
      Quote Originally Posted by NewdestinyX View Post
      This would be an interesting feat as cellular phone service doesn't work "in flight". I know. I've tried. . No signal 42,000 feet up. Not sure WHY there isn't a signal - but there isn't.
      Aren't some airlines adding devices to allow use of mobiles on planes? Lets be honest airlines have never wanted to change unless its to screw more cash out of people!
    1. michaelsquared's Avatar
      michaelsquared - 2013-03-09, 03:05 PM
      Quote Originally Posted by Own3d View Post
      This is ignorant. One of the main reasons for you to disable all electronics would be to be fully alert during takeoff. If something were to go wrong, they'd want you to be able to brace for impact and/or follow directions in a matter of seconds, versus having to put your iPad away before doing so.

      The person trying to push this bill through is clearly too important for everyone.
      If being alert is the reason for the rule, then alertness should be the justification. Taking your point a step further, the FAA should also ban all reading materials, and any form relaxation during take-off (like sleeping). After all, if you are sleeping or deep in throws of the latest "Vampire/S&M" novel, the likelihood of you being able follow directions in a matter of seconds is unlikely (this, of course, is based on the logic presented in the above post).
    1. niqolas619's Avatar
      niqolas619 - 2013-03-09, 03:16 PM
      I think the first poster is onto something here on the FAA's reasoning. I always thought the justification for not allowing electronics during takeoff could be explained away by something to do with the safety brief they give. Sure, nobody actually listens to that stuff and could probably say everything that's in the brief, but there's probably some legal issues there that state that the airline has to give the brief before every flight and everyone on the flight has to hear it.

      If everyone's wearing headphones, nobody is hearing it. All that being said, it doesn't explain why we have to turn off our stuff for landing.

      Either way, doesn't really bother me too much. I can live without my electronicals for 10 minutes at the beginning and end of flights!
    1. steve-z17's Avatar
      steve-z17 - 2013-03-09, 04:38 PM
      I never turn my stuff off...haven't crashed yet! My brother-in-law is a Pilot for SW, he uses his iPad and cellphone to play games during the flight. If you ever hear the announcement that "George" will be landing the plane its because the Pilot and Co-Pilot are busy finishing up a game of Sudoku or Words With Friends.
    1. cgfusion's Avatar
      cgfusion - 2013-03-09, 05:01 PM
      Give me a break Own3D, get prepared to do what, bend over and kiss your $#@ goodbye? Most people on the plane now days leave theirs on, not to mention the entire flight crew. It's a Myth as 99.99% have said already on here, and the government has already proven in a study this to be false. Welcome to the modern age.....
    1. feidhlim1986's Avatar
      feidhlim1986 - 2013-03-09, 05:13 PM
      Having to pause a movie/song/game for 10 minutes. Such a massive inconvenience. Oh my god I don't know how I cope sometimes.
      #firstworldproblems
    1. natemckelvie's Avatar
      natemckelvie - 2013-03-09, 05:50 PM
      [QUOTE=Akshay Masand;6792311]

      Remember the days when you would be sitting on a plane listening to music and the ever so kind flight attendant would ask you to turn off your electronic device? Believe it or not, those days are coming to an end as Senator Claire McCaskill is putting together a bill that will take out this restriction. In 2011, the FAA wanted to replace the paper flight manuals on airplanes with iPads and in 2012 the rule was expanded so that pilots were allowed to use their tablets during all stages of flight.

      Statements released via AppleInsider reports:

      This is completely unnecessary! Staying alert during takeoff? What about people sleeping, they are much more unaltered than someone with an iPad in hand. And if something did go wrong, how long does it take to DROP an iPad on the ground, ift it's an emergency who will actually PUT the iPad away, no one.
    1. Perceptum's Avatar
      Perceptum - 2013-03-09, 07:59 PM
      Quote Originally Posted by feidhlim1986 View Post
      Having to pause a movie/song/game for 10 minutes. Such a massive inconvenience. Oh my god I don't know how I cope sometimes.
      #firstworldproblems
      How about when you are on the tarmac stuck for a few hours?
    1. *T*'s Avatar
      *T* - 2013-03-09, 08:33 PM
      The real reason this was never allowed is so that the airline can sell you in-flight TV at ridiculous rates
    1. Mrteacup's Avatar
      Mrteacup - 2013-03-09, 09:13 PM
      Honestly its like 5 minutes of your life. You should be paying attention. I don't know if turning it off is necessary but if they don't want you using it while taking off you shouldn't.. A bill should not be allowed to change what companies/airlines want people doing on their planes. Sure it should change the law if any..

      Anyway in all honesty i feel like people only complain about this cause they want to take pictures...
    1. dps1978's Avatar
      dps1978 - 2013-03-09, 11:35 PM
      Quote Originally Posted by yimmortal View Post
      lets be realistic, if we are in a crash there is NOTHING we can do to prevent it or help out in any way, and that flight attendant (waitress) is just as useless as we would be.. i'd rather die watching the simpsons than watching the back of the seat in front of me....
      Air France Flight 358 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

      "Air France Flight 358, a flight from Paris, France, to Toronto, Ontario, Canada, using an Airbus A340 airliner, departed Paris without incident at 11:53 UTC 2 August 2005, later touching down on runway 24L at Toronto Pearson International Airport at 20:01 UTC (16:01 EDT). The aircraft failed to stop on the runway, plunged into nearby Etobicoke Creek, and came to rest, bursting into flames, approximately 300 metres past the end of the runway. The Airbus A340-300 had 309 people aboard – 297 passengers (two of them infants, without seats) and 12 crew – all of whom survived, with 12 sustaining serious injuries. The accident highlighted the role played by highly-trained flight attendants during an emergency situation. The first officer was the last to leave the plane, which was evacuated within the required 90 second time frame."

      We like to be called Flight Attendants, not waitresses.
    1. fanboyfanboy's Avatar
      fanboyfanboy - 2013-03-10, 01:31 AM
      I'm flying to Florida on Monday for spring break, if only this could pass today and delta would let me play on my iPad without being naggy about it
    1. bmp06gti's Avatar
      bmp06gti - 2013-03-10, 03:19 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by Own3d View Post
      This is ignorant. One of the main reasons for you to disable all electronics would be to be fully alert during takeoff. If something were to go wrong, they'd want you to be able to brace for impact and/or follow directions in a matter of seconds, versus having to put your iPad away before doing so.

      The person trying to push this bill through is clearly too important for everyone.

      Wow your an idot man....With your argument you would have everyone put away their books and magazines too? The FAA is useless and has never been able to prove why they do it. Maybe you never went to college or read a book but theres something called a faraday cage and thats what an airplane is. Years of engineering went into creating this plane ....if it gets brought down because of a gameboy that is pretty pathetic. Ive listened to my iphone music evertime i fly. still alive.
    1. ChicagoV's Avatar
      ChicagoV - 2013-03-10, 04:51 AM
      I fly all around the world, and one thing I notice is this: Americans don't like following simple rules. That's it. Airports and airplanes are just some of the more public means of display. Especially from those claiming to "fly all the time".

      I too doubt a plane would crash simply because I'm sending a last-minute text or email, or wonder if airlines have ever heard of "airplane mode" that EVERY device seems to come with nowadays, but seriously - 10 damn minutes. Just turn it off for 10 minutes. But no... gotta be difficult. I was on a flight earlier this year (Japan) and a guy across the aisle - young American, not military though - seemed to be going out of his way to give the flight attendant a hard time. Reclined his seat fully, phone and tablet on with headphones, and no seat-belt - THEN tried to make a public scene, almost yelling at the poor girl about how stupid seat-belts on planes are, and how they wouldn't save anything should we fall from the sky. It was gently suggested that he just comply and STFU by myself and two other American passengers.

      Stuck on a tarmac is different. I was stuck out there once for 94 minutes - they encouraged us to get up, stretch, use the bathroom, and use our devices. No biggie.

      If they change the rule, great. If not, oh well. 10 minutes out of your life with no electronics isn't life-altering to me, but maybe it is for some. That's sad in itself. Reading? Sleeping? Yes - put the paper/book away; wake your *** up and be alert for these 10 minutes. This "I do what I want when I fly... such and such in my imaginary extended family is a pilot" stuff is just a microcosm of typical arrogance nowadays.
    1. kosher1's Avatar
      kosher1 - 2013-03-10, 06:15 AM
      Sick people. Sick!!!! You can't even turn the damn thing off for 5 frikin minutes ???? Go find other fish to fry Mrs. Senator with lots if time on your hand trying to get your name out more.

      Sheeeeeesh!!!!
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