FAA to Study Electronic Devices During Takeoff, Landing
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is asking the Federal Aviation Administration to see if electronic gadgets really do cause interference during takeoffs and landings, something that could drastically change the way we travel.
A ‘Fresh Look’ at Tablets on Flights
What will be OK, forbidden
Currently, all electronic devices must be turned off during takeoffs and landings and can only be turned back on when the captain gives the OK. The FAA will spend six months studying the effects and report its findings.
Do We Really Need to Turn Off Our Devices?
One thing that won’t change: being able to use your cellphone to make a call during a flight. A recent survey showed passengers don’t want others making calls from 30,000 feet, as they view it an an annoyance.
Learn from past events
If the FAA OKs the use of electronics to be on during the entire flight, stories the likes of Alec Baldwin getting kicked off a flight for playing the popular game Words with Friends wouldn’t be news.
Also, the uninterrupted time would allow people with disabilities who need electronic devices to communicate to carry on. Such was the case with a recent incident on an American Airlines flight where a 17-year-old nonverbal autistic girl was forced to turn off her iPad, which she uses to communicate.
