The Real Reason For Using Flight Mode Is Not What You Think



All of us are familiar with the standard instructions: "Please make sure your seats are in the upright position, tray tables are stowed, window blinds are up, laptops are stored in the overhead bins, and electronic gadgets are set to flight mode."     
Right now, the first four seem feasible. To be able to see if there is an emergency, such as a fire, window coverings must be raised. So that we may swiftly exit the row, tray tables must be tucked away, and seats must be upright.

Since the seat back pockets are not sturdy enough to hold them, laptops can become projectiles in an emergency.

Additionally, in order to prevent them from causing an emergency on board the aircraft, mobile devices must be in flight mode.

Technology has made enormous strides.

Radio services, which have been coordinated to reduce interference since the 1920s, are essential for aviation navigation and communication.

When compared to some of the earlier analog technologies we employed even 60 years ago, modern digital technology is miles ahead of them. According to research, personal electronics are capable of emitting a signal that interferes with an aircraft's communications and navigational systems by operating in the same frequency range. This phenomenon is known as electromagnetic interference.             
However, a 1992 study by the US Federal Aviation Authority and Boeing on the interference caused by the use of electronic devices on aircraft showed no problems with computers or other personal electronic devices during non-critical flight phases. The crucial periods are thought to be takeoff and landing.

In order to prevent interference, the US Federal Communications Commission started to designate designated frequency bandwidths for various uses, such as mobile phones and airplane navigation and communications.

To avoid aviation interference issues, governments all around the world created similar tactics and regulations. Since 2014, electronic devices in the EU are permitted to be left on.

So why has the aviation sector kept its ban on cell phone use despite the existence of these international standards? You might not anticipate it, but ground interference is one of the issues.

If all of the people using their phones while flying above the ground networks that connect wireless networks could cause the networks to become overloaded.

More than 2.2 billion people traveled by air in 2021, which is less than half as many as in 2019. The cellphone providers might be on to something here.

Of course, when it comes to mobile networks, the adoption of a new standard has been the most significant change in recent years. Many people working in the aviation business are concerned about the current 5G wireless networks, which are attractive because of their faster data transmission rates.

We continue to attempt to integrate new gadgets despite the radio frequency bandwidth's limitations. The 5G wireless network bandwidth spectrum, according to the aviation sector, is extremely close to the restricted aviation bandwidth spectrum, which could interfere with navigation equipment close to airports that help with aircraft landing.

The introduction of 5G has raised concerns about flight safety in Australia and the US, but it seems to have gone off without incident in the European Union. In either case, it is wise to restrict mobile phone use while traveling on planes while 5G-related concerns are resolved.

Most airlines now provide clients Wi-Fi services that are either free or pay-per-use. In theory, travelers might use their mobile phones to make in-flight video chats to friends or clients thanks to new Wi-Fi capabilities.

I recently asked a cabin crew member on a trip about her thoughts about using phones while flying. She said it would be inconvenient for the cabin personnel to wait for customers to finish their call before asking if they wanted any refreshments or food. If everyone was on the phone, in-flight service would take longer on an airplane with 200+ passengers.

I find that the social aspect of having more than 200 individuals on a plane, all of whom may be speaking simultaneously, is more problematic than the actual usage of phones while in flight.                                                                                               
Phone use in flight could be another factor that alters the entire flight experience at a time when disruptive passenger behavior, such as "air rage," is becoming more common.

Disruptive behaviors can range from failure to follow safety regulations, such as failing to buckle your seatbelt, to verbal and physical altercations with other passengers and flight attendants, a tendency known as "air rage."

In conclusion, using a phone while flying does not now compromise the aircraft's ability to fly. However, given the large number of passengers to serve, cabin workers could choose to avoid delays in providing in-flight services to everyone.

However, 5G technology is consuming radio spectrum used by aviation navigation systems, thus further study is required to address the 5G question involving interference with aircraft navigation during landings.

Takeoffs are optional, but landings are required, so keep that in mind as we talk about the two most important parts of flying.

Professor Doug Drury, Director of Aviation at CQUniversity Australia

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Do You Sleep on Your Back or Side? Here's The Research on 'Optimal' Sleep Positions

Image
William Dement, a renowned sleep researcher at Stanford University, is quoted as saying that after 50 years of study, the only reason he can think of for why we sleep is "because we become sleepy." Sleep certainly matters for our health and wellbeing even though it may be, as one researcher put it, "the sole major habit in quest of a function." Do we, however, have it right? What do studies on sleeping positions say? Is there a proper sleeping position? The majority of people favor sleeping on their side. This is encouraging news because people who sleep on their backs are more likely to have trouble falling asleep or breathing during the night. Most of the time, we have a tendency to shift around quite a bit at night. According to a study involving 664 sleepers, on average, participants slept on their side 54% of the time, their back 37% of the time, and their front 7% of the time. Males are more likely to change positions throughout the night and move their arms, ...
Read more

The Science of Beards

Image
Here are a few facts that scientists have learned about beards as the world prepares to celebrate amazing facial hair on World Beard Day (September 3). Strong Manly Beard Men who have beards appear to be more dominant, aggressive, and strong, according to numerous studies[1][2][3] that have been conducted. In fact, men claim that growing facial hair makes them feel[4] more manly. Men who choose to grow beards tend to have higher testosterone levels than men who choose to keep their faces clean-shaven, according to research. They are also more likely to be hostile sexists, or to support the patriarchy and male dominance, as well as to believe that women belong in the kitchen, according to research on this topic. The beards (and muscles) on these males might be used to enforce gender roles. Professor R. D. Guthrie proposed in his book "Evolution of human threat display organs" from the 1970s that beards could be utilized to scare male rivals by improving aggressive and threaten...
Read more

Scientists Uncover a Surprising Connection Between Appetite and Sun Exposure

Image
Recent studies from Tel Aviv University show that women are not affected by sun exposure on their hunger levels, but males are. The study shows how the metabolic pathway is engaged differently in men and women. It was carried out utilizing lab models. Males of both animal and human species, as well as those exposed to the sun, are reportedly triggered to produce a protein called p53 that repairs any DNA damage that may have been done to the skin as a result of the exposure. The body produces the hunger-inducing hormone ghrelin in response to p53 activation. In females, the hormone estrogen stops p53 from interacting with ghrelin, preventing the desire to eat after being in the sun. The ground-breaking investigation was directed by professor Carmit Levy and Ph.D. candidate Shivang Parikh of the Department of Human Genetics and Biochemistry at TAU's Sackler Faculty of Medicine. In addition to the Tel Aviv Sourasky (Ichilov), Assuta, Meir, and Sheba Medical Centers, Drs. Yiftach Gepne...
Read more