Using Kindle fwhile flying

[skyblue]

In addition to alertness, there is also the crack someone in the skull aspect. Newspapers and magazines aren't going to injure anyone.

I should hope you would want to have your hearing aid on if the flight crew was trying to give instructions.

We can come up with little exceptions to everything. The safety of all of the passengers on the aircraft is what is most important.

I don't mean to quibble, I am a rule follower.  However, I have to work through all the details in my mind.   

[sharyn]

I fly fairly often and my last flight home from LAX was the first time I've been asked to turn my Kindle off.  I just closed the Tuff Luv cover and sat with it in my lap until after takeoff.

[Rhiathame]

Worse, it's been proven they don't have any effect. That includes Cell phones in "on" mode (they would have to be IN the cockpit to affect the radios, instrumentation, etc).

True but think of how annoying it would be to sit there and listen to phone conversations your entire flight.

[DD]

On several recent flights, I was told to turn my Kindle all the way off during take-off and landing, not just the Whispernet connection.  It was explained to me by the flight attendants that it is anything with a batter that has to be off.  The internet connection has nothing to do with it.  I was even asked to turn off my Bose noise-cancelling headsets which are battery operated.

After take-off, of course, I read to my heart's content.

[stargazer0725]

Actually, here's a direct link to the FAA's official explanation on the operation of electronic devices:

http://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgAdvisoryCircular.nsf/0/b5c85ae8e38df676862571da00529da4/$FILE/AC%2091.21-1B.pdf

Per Section 6, it appears that those airlines/aircraft that have official procecures in place to pinpoint and shut down specific devices that cause interference are much more flexible than those that don't.  If the procedures aren't in place, then it's best just to issue a blanket statement.

[4Katie]

In addition to alertness, there is also the crack someone in the skull aspect. Newspapers and magazines aren't going to injure anyone.

Excellent point. I never would've thought about that.

You just never know why some rules exist. We have a 'no cell phone' rule at our front desk - not because it interferes with any equipment, but because it's so rude. While our staff is assisting them they'll keep stopping to take phone calls, wasting our time.

[Cujo]

Is that one cell phone, or could perhaps a couple hundred a few yards in back of the cockpit have a different effect? I don't know. But, personally, when they ask me to turn anything with an off button off, and then when I can turn it on to leave the wireless off, I do it. Aside from being obstinate, I can't think of a reason not to do as they ask. Even if they are wrong, it is their companies plane and they have to follow the rules their company gives them and why should I make it hard on them?  I can live with it off a few minutes, and wireless off the whole trip until they change their procedures. There are enough senseless battles and to me this one is low in importance. JMO

I completely agree.  Is it so hard to comply for that 10 minutes?  Ever have your cell phone make the noise they make with your computer speakers?  Do you know where the radio/nav equipment antennas are located on the jet you're flying?  Are you 100% sure your electronics aren't going to interfere with the nav signals while you're climbing through that overcast deck?  Point is you probably don't and probably don't understand why it matters. Go ahead and do what you want, after all, it is all about you.  [rant ends]

[ProfCrash]

If I thought for a second that my reading a book on Tavar, or an entire plane full of people using e-book readers during take off would crash the plane, I wouldn't do it. When 9 times out of 10 the flight attendants don't tell me to turn it off or flat out tell me that it is ok to use my Kindle, I find it hard to believe that I am endangering anyone.

The reason that I have heard they don't want us using electronics during landing and take off is so that we are paying attention during the most dangerous times of flight and because they don't want them flying through the air if there is a problem.  If that is the case, and many a flight attendant and pilot has posted this reason, then they need to tell everyone to put books and the like away. So yes, it bothers me that I am being told I cannot read on my Kindle when the person next to me is ok to read their giant hard back book. They are just as distracted and their item is more likely to hurt someone then mine is during a crash.

The rules need to be consistent and they are not. That bothers me.

[Cujo]

The rules need to be consistent and they are not. That bothers me.

Every pre-flight safety brief includes "please turn off all portable electronic devices". This is a consistent rule.  It's an FAA mandate.  It's impossible to test all combinations of operating electronic devices together as to whether or not they'll have an adverse effect on communications or navigation systems.  So they blanket request that you turn everything off, just in case.  IMO it's not too much to ask for 10 minutes of takeoff and approach. BTW, it is about interference, otherwise they wouldn't make you leave your cell phone off for the entire flight.

[TechBotBoy]

Most of my flights are overseas and a mix of American and foreign carriers.  From my experience, AA, United and KLM are the ones that seem to care the most.  Just this past January, I had an AA attendant tell me that kindles have interfered with airplane electronics in the past.  I don't believe a word of that anymore than the story about phones interfering but ....

I've seen the effects of cell phone radiation first hand when a friend put his phone next to a "CRT" monitor - when the phone rang the poor monitor became almost unreadable -- not all phones cause this kind of interference, but anytime I'm more than 5 feet off the ground, I prefer not to have even the chance of interference.

                    - Tbb

[Betsy the Quilter]

Several people have forgotten them after putting them in seat pockets.  A couple have gotten them back from helpful flight crews but most not.  I stopped putting stuff in seat pockets after losing an actual book that way.

Betsy

[ProfCrash]

"I've seen the effects of cell phone radiation first hand when a friend put his phone next to a "CRT" monitor - when the phone rang the poor monitor became almost unreadable -- not all phones cause this kind of interference, but anytime I'm more than 5 feet off the ground, I prefer not to have even the chance of interference. "

So you don't turn yours on at any time in the plane flight?

If it is a flight safety issue then it is because people reading are not paying attention during take off and landing and that could be dangerous. That holds for paper books as well as e-books. They want all bags tucked under the seat on takeoff and landing so that aisles are easily passable in the event of an emergency. They don't want you holding large buly things in your lap so they don't fly around. They want your tray table stowed so you can easily brace yourself and so that you don't get tossed in it. They want headsets turned off so you can hear announcements.

There are planty of battery operated devices that are running when the plane takes off and lands. Watches, cell phones people forget to turn off, things in bags left in sleep mode. Ignoring the pace makers and oxygen tanks and the onflight entertainment systems. I can watch my TV on Jet Blue as we take off and land. The only possible problem is when the satelite loses its signal.

My point? The rules are not as black and white as people want them to be. Flight Attendants seem to be all over the place on the rules. We have been flying for an awful long time with all sorts of electronic devices in planes and have not seen an increase in the number of plane crashes due to battery operated devices operating during take off and landing.

If I am asked to turn my Kindle off, I put it in sleep mode, and hold it on my lap. Normally I am not asked to turn my Kindle off so I happily read and don't worry about it.

[Granvillen]

People, the reason you need to turn off the Kindle is simply it is a 3G device, much like a cell phone or a wireless laptop.  Because some people flying try to beat the system, they want everything turned off.  It has noting to do with the battery.  Before I retired, I consulted for an airlines to try to determine if there were any effects caused by phones, wireless devices, etc.  We could not prove nor deny there are any effect.  So until such time they decide what to do, it is turn everything off.  The bad news, and I mean really bad news, is we are close to allowing those passengers who feel put upon because they must turn off their devices, to allow them to keep them turned on.  This means cell phones also.  So think about what you wish for.  You wil regret sitting next to some teenager flying across country keeping in contact with his/her VBF. 

[ProfCrash]

And that is why I have my noise reduction headsets and IPod Nano. There are already plane flights that allow the use of the internet on their planes. I would hope that they have a cell phone vs no cell phone section, kind of like trains that have cell phone vs no cell phone trains.

Which only goes to show that the planes can handle that type of activity.

[pugmom]

I don't have my Kindle yet (it should be here Friday), but is it such a big deal to turn these things off?  I don't get it....  It can't be that involved to turn it on and off.  If there is even a chance that my device could cause a problem with an aircraft that I am on 10,000 feet in the air going 200 MPH, I am going to turn it off. 

[loca]

Several people have forgotten them after putting them in seat pockets.  A couple have gotten them back from helpful flight crews but most not.  I stopped putting stuff in seat pockets after losing an actual book that way.

Betsy

Yea, you coudl easily forget.  The rush of a good feeling of getting of the plane might do that

[Cujo]

If I am asked to turn my Kindle off, I put it in sleep mode, and hold it on my lap. Normally I am not asked to turn my Kindle off so I happily read and don't worry about it.

You are asked to turn your kindle off, it's a portable electronic device.