Full Autoland - No light coming from electronic device
Jan 8, 2020, 11:55 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Vancouver, CA
Programs: AC 35K
Posts: 670
Full Autoland - No light coming from electronic device
Hi all,
Had a first today with an unexpected twist I wanted to ask the the community here about.
Landing into Linate this evening we were on a full autoland due to low-level fog and as SOP were asked to switch all electronic devices fully off (not flight-safe mode). As the cabin was prepared for landing I got up to turn off my iPad which was in the overhead however a member of the cabin crew said that it wasn’t necessary as long as the device “didn’t emit any light” (which it wouldn’t stored in my bag). I always thought that the reason devices needed to be off was to ensure no radio waves were emitted causing interference with the CAT III ILS signal - is this not the real reason? Surely my iPad in “standby” in the overhead would emit radio waves even with the screen off (for example Bluetooth can remain on even while in Airplane Mode). Was the cabin crew wrong and should I have turned off the iPad fully?
Looking forward to hearing from the experts in the community here.
Thanks,
TUF
Had a first today with an unexpected twist I wanted to ask the the community here about.
Landing into Linate this evening we were on a full autoland due to low-level fog and as SOP were asked to switch all electronic devices fully off (not flight-safe mode). As the cabin was prepared for landing I got up to turn off my iPad which was in the overhead however a member of the cabin crew said that it wasn’t necessary as long as the device “didn’t emit any light” (which it wouldn’t stored in my bag). I always thought that the reason devices needed to be off was to ensure no radio waves were emitted causing interference with the CAT III ILS signal - is this not the real reason? Surely my iPad in “standby” in the overhead would emit radio waves even with the screen off (for example Bluetooth can remain on even while in Airplane Mode). Was the cabin crew wrong and should I have turned off the iPad fully?
Looking forward to hearing from the experts in the community here.
Thanks,
TUF
Jan 8, 2020, 12:54 pm
#2
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
The crew member was wrong and likely misunderstood the training.
Off does mean off in your situation and your instincts were correct. It is likely that the crew member had been trained to insure that all the lights on a device were off as a means of assuring that the device itself is off. That, of course, is outmoded technology and, in any event, not the reason for the restriction.
Off does mean off in your situation and your instincts were correct. It is likely that the crew member had been trained to insure that all the lights on a device were off as a means of assuring that the device itself is off. That, of course, is outmoded technology and, in any event, not the reason for the restriction.
Jan 8, 2020, 1:03 pm
#3
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC GGL/GFl, HH Diamond, BW Diamond, Virgin Voyages Deep Blue Extra, Blue Peter Badge Holder
Posts: 3,937
What is interesting is even when a phone is switched off, it isn’t actually completely off and can with the right technology be turned on remotely... balance of risk though and no doubt they will be some who disobey crew instructions.
Jan 8, 2020, 2:52 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Vancouver, CA
Programs: AC 35K
Posts: 670
The crew member was wrong and likely misunderstood the training.
Off does mean off in your situation and your instincts were correct. It is likely that the crew member had been trained to insure that all the lights on a device were off as a means of assuring that the device itself is off. That, of course, is outmoded technology and, in any event, not the reason for the restriction.
Off does mean off in your situation and your instincts were correct. It is likely that the crew member had been trained to insure that all the lights on a device were off as a means of assuring that the device itself is off. That, of course, is outmoded technology and, in any event, not the reason for the restriction.