Mobile phone causes aircraft course change

Monday, 20th July 2009

The incident was revealed by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) as it seeks to avoid an increase in passenger air rage related to in-flight mobile phone use - warning travellers that most airlines do not allow mobile phones to be used during flights.

Ryanair is one of the few carriers that has installed equipment on some planes making it possible to use the devices in-flight, but the CAA is concerned that many travellers believe all planes are so-equipped.

According to the aviation authority, police had to be called in a number of times when passengers became abusive to cabin crew members after they were told to switch off their mobile phones.

The CAA commissioned a study in which it was learned that mobile phones could have an impact on aircraft communication and navigation systems, “producing significant errors on instrument displays and background noise on pilot radios.”

Apparently, the group had received complaints from pilots about the interference the devices were causing – including noise in their headphones and smoke alarms being triggered.

The most significantly interference reported was an incident in which the direction and speed of a Boeing 747 being changed after it departed from the Miami airport in February of last year.

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