Originally Posted by
Spiff
Use of electronics on the airplane. I know that someone else's phone/BlackBerry/computer use is not going to affect the plane and cause it to crash. I know this because I have a bit
of electronics knowledge in the area of electricity and magnetism, including design work in the lab. I can calculate the power and harmonics of most devices and do not feel threatened by their use. Therefore, I do not care if someone else uses such a device during taxi, takeoff, or landing, even if I choose to follow the rules, which I usually do. Furthermore, I know there are probably on average at least 5 such devices left on during any given flight due to willful or forgetful owners. No planes have fallen out of the sky as a result and no planes are likely to either.
Not just that, but if phones were actually considered a credible threat to aircraft they would be banned from the cabin outright. If you can make a plane crash with a cell phone, surely that makes them a "terrorist weapon"?
I take the fact that I am allowed carry mine on board as a hint that no-one thinks it's really that serious.