Planning To Study Use Of Some Devices During Takeoffs And Landings

If tests planned by the FAA prove that some devices may not interfere with aircraft avionics during takeoff and landing, Alec Baldwin may someday be able to complete his game of "Words With Friends" without being escorted off an airplane. But more likely not.

And that day, if it comes at all, is a long way off. The FAA said Monday that it is looking to "bring together all of the key stakeholders involved" to discuss if a practical method can be devised that would allow for the testing of devices such as tablets, e-readers, and music players during "critical phases" of flight.

The Associated Press reports that airlines already have the discretion to test devices, but the sheer number and variety of such consumer electronics makes it far simpler to just issue an outright ban. Kevin Hiatt, COO for the Flight Safety Foundation, said another issue is that devices evolve over time, so one model may be deemed to be safe, but a subsequent model might cause interference.

Boeing engineer Kenny Kirchoff said that an "additive effect," in which dozens or hundreds of devices might be in use at the same time, could have more of an impact than a single device. He also said that planes manufactured since 1990 have much better shielding of their electronics than those built prior to that time.

The FAA said in a statement that "no changes will be made until we are certain they will not impact safety and security."

In actuality, Baldwin would still get in trouble for his online game. Devices that will definitely not be tested include smart phones and other cell phones. Use of those devices on an aircraft is regulated by the FCC. Experts say that the speed of travel on an airliner makes cell phones skip from tower to tower too rapidly, which can interfere with ground-based communications.

FMI: www.faa.gov, http://flightsafety.org/