Here’s the real reason to turn on airplane mode when you fly

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We all know the routine by heart: “Please make sure that your seats are in a vertical position, the tray tables stored, the window shades are in place, laptops are stored in air bins and electronic devices are set in flight mode.”

Now the first four are reasonable, right? Window shades must be in place so that we can see if there is an emergency, like fire. The tray tables must be stored and the standing seats so that we can get out of the row quickly. Laptops can become projectiles in an emergency, as the seat backrest pockets are not strong enough to contain them.

And mobile phones must be paid in flight mode so that they cannot cause an emergency for the plane, right? Well, it depends on who you ask.

Aviation navigation and communication is based on radio services, which has been coordinated to minimize interference Since the 1920s.

The digital technology currently used is much more advanced than some of the old analog technologies that we used even 60 years ago. Research has shown that personal electronic devices can issue a signal in the same frequency band as the airplane communication and navigation systems, creating what is called electromagnetic interference.

But in 1992, the Federal Authority for American Aviation and Boeing, in a independent studystudied the use of electronic devices on interference of planes and found no problem with computers or other personal electronic devices during the non -critical flight phases. (Takeoffs and landings are considered to be critical phases.)

The Federal Communications Commission American also began to create frequency passers -by reserved for different uses – such as mobile phones and navigation and communications of planes – so that they do not interfere with each other. Governments around the world have developed the same strategies and policies to prevent interference problems with aviation. In the EU, electronic devices were authorized to stay on Since 2014.

Why then, with these global standards in place, did the aeronautical industry continue to ban the use of mobile phones? One of the problems lies in something you can’t expect – ground interference.

Wireless networks are connected by a series of towers; The networks could become overloaded if the survival passengers are all the ground networks use all their phones. THE Number of passengers who stole in 2021 was more than 2.2 billion, and it is half of what the 2019 passenger numbers were. Wireless companies could have one point here.

Of course, with regard to mobile networks, the biggest change in recent years is the transition to a new standard. Current 5G wireless networks – desirable for their high -speed data transfer – have aroused many concern in the aviation industry.

The bandwidth of the radio frequency is limited, but we always try to add more new devices to it. The aviation industry emphasizes that the Wireless network bandwidth spectrum 5G is remarkably close to the bandwidth spectrum of the reserved aviation, which can cause Interference with navigation systems near airports who help land the plane.

Airport operators in Australia And The United States have expressed air security problems linked to the deployment of 5G, but it seems to have been deployed without such problems in the European Union. Be that as it may, it is prudent to limit the use of mobile phones in planes while the problems around 5G are resolved.

Most airlines now offer Wi-Fi services that are either free or free. With new Wi-Fi technologies, passengers could theoretically use their mobile phone to make video calls with friends or flight customers.

During a recent flight, I spoke with a cabin attendant and asked him for an opinion on the use of the phone during flights. It would be a drawback for the cabin crew to wait for the passengers to end up asking them if they wish drinks or something to eat, she said. On an airliner with more than 200 passengers, the flight service would take more time if everyone made telephone calls.

For me, the problem with the use of phones is more social experience to have more than 200 people on a plane, and all potentially spoken at the same time. At a time when the disruptive behavior of passengers, including “air rage”, is increasingly frequent, the use of the phone in flight could be another trigger that changes all the flight experience.

Disturbing behaviors take various forms, from non-conformity to safety requirements such as non-providing safety belts, verbal altercations with passenger colleagues and cabin crew, physical altercations with passengers and cabin crews-generally identified as air rage.

In conclusion – The use of phones in flight is not currently altered the plane capacity to operate. But cabin teams may prefer not to be delayed to provide flight service to all passengers – it’s a lot of people to serve.

However, 5G technology encroaches on the radio bandwidth of airplane navigation systems; We will need more research to answer The 5G question Regarding interference with the navigation of aircraft during landing. Remember that when we discuss the two most critical flight phases, takeoffs are optional – but landings are compulsory.