Electromagnetic Interferrence on Airlines

ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERFERENCE WITH AIRLINER ON-BOARD COMMUNICATIONS AND NAVIGATION SYSTEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE USE OF PASSENGER-CARRIED PORTABLE ELECTRONICS EQUIPMENT

Persistent reports have linked electromagnetic interference (EMI) with airliner on-board communications and navigation systems with the use on such aircraft of passenger-carried portable electronic equipment (Nordwall, 1993, p. 32). The problem is exacerbated by two developments--portable electronic equipment has proliferated, and the smaller size and low-voltage characteristics of modern aircraft electronics causes them to be increasingly vulnerable to EMI. In response to these events, some airlines began restricting the use of portable electronic equipment by passengers (Westlake, 1993, p. 64). Among the equipment the use of which was restricted were mobile telephones, radios, compact disc players, laptop computers, cassette tape players, and calculators. The use of some types of equipment is prohibited during entire flights, while the use of other types of equipment is restricted only during take-offs and landings.

Aircraft use a range of the electromagnetic spectrum from dc for some monitoring equipment to 10Ghz for weather radar (Geppert, 1994, p. 21). The electromagnetic range used by portable consumer electronic equipment is almost as broad. While instances of interference does occur as a result of this sharing of the electromagnetic spectrum within an aircraft's in-flight

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radios and transmitters that remotely control devices such as toys and that all portable electronic devices not specifically allowed for use be prohibited during the approach, takeoff and landing phases of flight. While the FAA agreed with the RTCA findings and conclusions, decisions on restricting the on-board use of portable electronic devices were left as the responsibility of airline managements. The Experience Between 1988 and 1993, airline pilots reported over 20 incidents of such EMI (Mario, 1993, p. 96). Many more such incidents were thought not to have been reported. Britain's Flight International carried stories of a Boeing 747-400 that weaved from side to side until two laptop computers being used by passengers were turned off, and of a pair of Nintendo Gameboy video games confusing the automatic direction-finder of a McDonnell Douglas DC-10. Because such incidents seem to be occurring more frequently, the Safety Advisory Committee of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) suggested a ban on the use of electronic devices by passengers during take-off and landing. Interference from hand-held electronic is thought to be increasing for a number of reasons (Mario, 1993, p. 96). Modern aircraft make ex

Category: Science - E