Travel Technology - GPS on a plane?

Howdy

i just got a bluetooth gps receiver with my pda. wondering if it works on a plane and should you use it during the flight??

searched the forums with no results

any tech heads care to enlighten??

kind regards
2sweetau

It depends on the airline. Some allow it (above 10K ft.), others do not allow GPS at all.

If you have a window seat, and satellite geometry is favorable, GPS reception is quite possible on a commercial flight.

heh... sounds great ... thinking about using it on lufthansa (since no on demand IFE )

how can i find out if they allow gps? i dont recall them saying anything during the safety percedures on board.

i dont want to be an idoit as this is a safety matter. just wondering if anyone else has tried it?

I just put mine against the window and wedged it in place by pulling the shade down on it. Put a pillow or blanket there and no one will know.

I knew it couldn't hurt, so I didn't feel bad being a tad sneaky.

Howdy

i just got a bluetooth gps receiver with my pda. wondering if it works on a plane and should you use it during the flight??

searched the forums with no results

any tech heads care to enlighten??

kind regards
2sweetau

Some airlines might allow a GPS receiver, but you could have a problem with the bluetooth, since it's transmitting a signal to the PDA. At least on domestic US flights, bluetooth and wi-fi are supposed to be turned off.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=321183
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=283545

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?p=7538454&postcount=52

I just put mine against the window and wedged it in place by pulling the shade down on it. Put a pillow or blanket there and no one will know.

I knew it couldn't hurt, so I didn't feel bad being a tad sneaky.

Always nice to hear from an aviation electronics expert on FlyerTalk. ^

I don't know about Lufthansa. A casual search didn't turn up the information. You might try the "Miles & More (Lufthansa, Austrian, Swiss, and other partners)" forum.

Regardless of the avionics interference potential of personal GPS usage it is impolite to put the FAs in the position of having to enforce their airlines policy.

i dont really want to ask the FA'S in fear of rejecting the idea of using this device because they have no idea if its safe or not.

ill dig alittle deeper, and post some results from my selected airline lufthansa.

Their website doesn't address GPS, it only says

Use of the following equipment is permitted during the flight: Laptop (with CD-ROM/DVD-drive), Walkman, MP3 player, CD player, Mini Disc player, Game Boy and video camcorder. Use of the following is still not permitted: Mobile phones, radio equipment, radio remote control, wireless mouse, Mini Disc

Bluetooth though is not allowed, they specificailly said no bluetooth or wireless printers, keyboards, mice or any other devices on a flight earlier this week.

I know NWA allows is above 10K feet and pilots have the ultimate discretion. I pull it out, if they ask I show, if they question I point them to the section in their flight handbook that says I can. Never had to escalate beyond that.

I have it built into my BB 8800, I just kill the cell phone service and use it as a handheld GPS. Usually get 4-8 sats strong. I get a kick out of it :D

Granted my 8800 you have to know where you'll be going since you'll need to "trace" your route when you are on the ground with cell service and cache the maps, you can't just download and store maps to your phone yet :(

Use of the following equipment is permitted during the flight: Laptop (with CD-ROM/DVD-drive), Walkman, MP3 player, CD player, Mini Disc player, Game Boy and video camcorder. Use of the following is still not permitted: Mobile phones, radio equipment, radio remote control, wireless mouse, Mini Disc

Why would Mini Disc be on the list of items that are not permitted?

There's reason to the lists?

Clearly there is no reason to the list. Based on the above a "Mini Disc Player" is allowed but a "Mini Disc" is not. What genius! :confused:

CO allows GPS use in flight. It works great! I need to try it with my external antenna wedged between the window shade and the window, as described above.

AA does not allow a GPS receiver in flight. Neither does JAL. I don't think I've ever been on an airline that fails to address is. Read the list of prohibited items in the seat pocket magazine.

I've tried many times to use my GPS on Lufthansa and BA flights but never had any joy.

It is quite good HOLUX 236 and was working during whole flight on Piper and Cesna.

So I gave up trying- but next Friday I'm flying to Goa so I'd like to see where I am- and possibly will try one more time. It is night flight so GPS would be even more needed ;)

Cheers
Chris

There's reason to the lists?

What was I thinking? :rolleyes:

My Bluetooth GPS "puck" usually works most of the times when pressed against the window, though my handheld Garmin GPS tends to be more reliable.