FAA to allow use of electronics for entire flights

Each airline will need to get FAA approval before offering their passengers gate-to-gate use of their portable electronics

Each airline will need to get FAA approval before offering their passengers gate-to-gate use of their portable electronics

By Joab Jackson | IDG News Service

Globe-trotting laptop workaholics and electronic media junkies will soon no longer fidget helplessly during the beginning and ending of their flights: The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has lifted the ban on use of personal electronics during the take-off and landing of airplanes, provided that the electronic devices are used in airplane mode.

Over the next few months, each airline will enact their own policies that will permit their passengers to use their own devices through an entire flight.

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Airplane passengers, in most cases, will be able to read electronic books and magazines, watch videos, play video games, listen to music and work on their computers throughout an entire flight.

Their devices must be in airplane mode, however, which will not allow them to be used voice communications or data transmission through mobile networks. The devices can, however, connect with an airplane's Wi-Fi service, if one is offered. Short-range, device-to-device communication, through Bluetooth for instance, is also permissible.

This change in policy has been long called for, at least by voracious users of electronic devices, who saw the ban as unnecessary.

Currently, airline passengers in the U.S. are required power down their smartphones, tablets, laptops and electronic readers when the airplane is taking off or landing.

Since people started bringing personal electronic communication devices on flights, the FAA assumed a cautious stance of limiting their use, fearing the devices would interfere with the airplane's radio frequency communications.

The FAA's Personal Electronic Device Aviation Rulemaking Committee concluded in a report earlier this year that most commercial airplanes can tolerate radio interference signals from portable devices. For the new ruling, the FAA also took feedback from airlines, aviation manufacturers, passengers, pilots, flight attendants and the mobile technology industry.

Mobile phone communications falls under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, which the FAA has urged to review its rules on in-flight use. Unlike other mobile electronic operations, cell phones send out relatively powerful signals that could interfere with in-flight radio communications.

Even devices that do not transmit signals can hamper a plane's communications, navigation, flight control and electronic equipment because they may emit radio energy at the same frequencies as the plane's equipment.

The airlines should determine how much radio interference their own communications systems can withstand. The airlines must then set their own conditions for usage and get FAA approval for these conditions.

The current FAA policy will remain in effect on an airline-by-airline basis until the FAA gives each airline approval to switch to the new policy.

Even after the new policy is adopted, an airline may also need to have their passengers shut down their devices during periods of low visibility to ensure adequate communications in such adverse conditions. The FAA expects that such conditions would apply to about one percent of all flights.

You can access in-flight 3G and 4G broadband in Europe

You can now access in-flight 3G and 4G broadband in Europe

Loek Essers@loekessers

• Nov 14, 2013 

The European Commission gave airlines permission to offer their passengers Internet access via 3G and 4G connections so they can send emails and surf the Web while in flight.

“This means that from now onwards, spectrum for 3G (UMTS) and 4G (LTE) communications may be used above an altitude of 3,000 meters. Until now only 2G (GSM) has been permissible on-board aircraft flying in the E.U.,” the Commission said in a news release on Thursday. To enable this, new rules have been adopted for aircraft flying over the European Union.

The Commission’s announcement follows a decision by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which said on Wednesday that it will allow the use of personal electronics such as tablets, smartphones and e-readers during all phases of a flight. The rules will apply to all devices except bulky ones like laptops, which still need to be stowed during take-off, landing and taxiing, EASA said.

The agency will issue guidance on in-flight use of devices and the use of mobile broadband connections by the end of November.

The moves come in response to increasing demands from passengers, who have shown more interest in writing text messages and emails than in making voice calls, the Commission said, adding that the amount of data transmitted on board already exceeds voice traffic.

Airlines will remain in charge of the services they choose to offer on board, according to the Commission.

ABDALLAHH/WIKIPEDIA

To give passengers mobile Internet access, airlines need to equip planes with an improved mobile communication on-board aircraft (MCA) system that makes use of pre-existing spectrum bands for 3G and 4G, the Commission said. These systems are connected with the ground via a satellite connection and have a signal with limited power to ensure there is no interference with other communications, it added.

Connecting to mobile Internet while flying over Europe could be costly. Passengers are billed for roaming charges through their service provider, the Commission said. “The tariffs applied usually correspond to ‘Roaming: rest of the world’ prices,” it said.

Aircraft offering the service have a Network Control Unit on board that works like a jammer that prevents mobile devices from connecting to and interfering with ground-based systems. They ensure they connect only to an Aircraft Base Station, which is the antenna to which mobile devices connect and runs as a cable through the cabin, it added.

For safety reasons, these services are only available at altitudes above 3,000 meters, the Commission added.

Europe’s new rules closely follow a U.S. Federal Aviation Administration decision in late October to lift the ban on using personal electronics during take-off and landing.