Originally Posted by
Wrong Way
If we've just aborted a takeoff due to an impact with something or a landing gear collapsed I imagine the stop will be rather abrupt and things will go flying towards the front of the plane so 2 things come to mind re PEDs
- Flight attendants manning the emergency exits won't get hurt by flying paper but a hard edged PED projectile could do some damage to them and nearby passengers.
- with all that paper and booze at the front of the airplane strewn about, - is there a fire risk from damaged PEDs that may emit sparks or impact IFE screens or kitchenette control panels which in turn could spark?
I'm also concerned with build standards and QC on the PEDs and how you would control them. Just because one device is approved, what guarantee is there that a later version of that same device has the same electrical/electronic components or the same different QC stds. Maybe the new unit has bigger batteries or less safety protocols (especially after market stuff). An airline would need a complete new infrastructure just to manage what is and isn't allowed.
While I generally agree with this, I suggest taking a soft cover book, and with a little force, smack yourself with its spine. Now imagine that in one of your aborted takeoff scenarios. I'm not convinced my phone hitting you in the face would hurt any more than a book. And let's not even get into hardcover...
The problem is that the rules are inconsistent. There is no chance that my tablet in airplane mode is going to interfere with the equipment more than the phone in someone's bag that they forgot to turn off. And it's not going to hurt any more than a large book if it flies across the cabin. If the ban is for fear of projectiles, they need to ban all projectiles. Otherwise, there's no reason that something I'm allowed to use at cruising altitude should be disallowed while taxiing.