FAA Recent Policy Changes are Already Obsolete
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently announced a change to the long-standing and completely absurd policy of prohibiting all electronic devices on planes during takeoff and landing. Hooray. The policy dates back to 1966, and further was upheld in the 1980’s when there were reports of passengers using radios (as in, AM/FM radios, remember those?) interfering with navigation istruments.
But a lot has changed between 1966 and now!
First off, the idea that a cell phone could interfere with navigation or communication systems in this day of magnetically shielded electronics is pretty absurd. Aside from the annoying popping sound that some older GSM phones may generate, devices today are much more sophisticated than the original brick cell phones of the 1980’s.
Secondly, the recent policy change by the FAA is already outdated. The fact is, portable, electronic devices are becoming more pervasive every day. Not only wireless phones, tablets, and laptops, but other devices such as fitness trackers which don’t even have an “off” button. The devices (such as the Fitbit that I occasionally use in order to track my laziness) send and receive bluetooth signals, but there is no way to disable it. Technically these devices violate the old FAA rules, but it’s unlikely that passengers will simply avoid bringing them on airplanes. Add in the use of augmentation tools like Google Glass and noise-canceling headphones and the ability to ensure every single device on a plane is shut off is just impossible.
Some justfy the concern behind the FAA’s original policy as preventing electromagnetic interference, but guess what? Nearly everything including airplanes themselves already generate significant levels of EMF. In fact, even human bodies produce EMF’s.
So hooray, FAA, for updating your policies at least 10 years too late. And kudos to the more progressive airlines such as Delta and Southwest who have swiftly moved to adopt the new policies. To those who are waiting while they conduct extensive testing and review: get it together already!!
