Does filming your takeoff and landing really interfere with the operation of an airliner?

[matmar]

[unblock]

1. yes, in much the same way it interferes with police activity and medical procedures.

[former9thward]

2. No it does not.

Just another power play.

[Courtesy Flush]

3. You'd never get them past security if they did.

Look at the things they confiscate -- bottle openers and nail files -- if they thought an airliner could be brought down by an iPad, they'd never let it aboard. Terrorists would exploit this like crazy. Why would it only be dangerous during takeoff and landing, but not in flight?

If it's allowed onboard, it's safe.

Having said that, don't get your ass arrested just because you know their rules are bullshit.

[jberryhill]

4. Does it? Usually not. Can it? Theoretically, with very low probability

All digital devices produce radio frequency electronic noise.

Digital electronics are capable of picking up that noise and generating an error.

Will YOUR electronic device crash the plane? Probably not.

What probability are you willing to accept? If you said something like "one in a million" then you would also accept several aircraft malfunctions per year, because millions of people fly.

It's a very low statistical risk which is not definitely calculable across all electronic devices (whether or not functioning properly) and all aircraft electronic systems. So, for that reason, they ask that you not use those things during takeoff and landing, when small errors may matter.

As a practical matter, the risk is negligible.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

5. Look on Youtube

Jumpseating pilots record in the cockpit all the time.

[jeff47]

6. It could...

You could interfere with some of the plane's radio-based systems, if you used your own radio.

You'd have to tune it to the right frequencies and otherwise do a lot of work to make it happen, but it's possible.

So why do they make you turn off electronics? Because the flight attendants can't tell if it's just a camcorder, or if you modified the electronics in the camcorder to screw with the plane.

[Lint Head]

7. Many years ago my father and I would sit at the end of a runway and tune the AM radio to the far

low end of the analog dial where on stations were broadcasting. We would listen to airplanes communications between the tower and the pilot. I was just a small child but it's a fond memory. I would think things would have progressed in 50 years. If a cell phone or IPad can bring down a modern jetliner we have more problems than exploding underwear.

[JohnnyRingo]

8. I believe it's about legal liability and corporate image

After a minor incident, the last thing a carrier wants is amateur video showing up on YouTube that assigns responsibility to their crew, or one that displays their incompetence. Why only on take off and landing? Because as the old aviation joke goes: "Studies show nearly 100% of all airplane accidents occur near the ground".

Airlines are so conscious of their image, the first company rep on the scene of an accident is usually driving a cherry picker fitted with a spray gun, there to paint over the corporate logo.

[IDemo]

9. If the threat exists, it's a symptom of casual design/testing of aircraft systems

I've worked in electronics R&D labs for many years, specifically in consumer products. An essential part of the process involves subjecting circuitry to lengthy tests to detect the effects of emitted energy across the electromagnetic frequency spectrum. You may have seen the FCC label on one or more of your electronics items reading "this device may not cause harmful interference, and this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation." This is applicable only to devices falling under the domain of the FCC, but the principle applies, or should, to communication, navigation and control systems used in aircraft as well. If they feel that a potential threat exists, the onus needs to be on aircraft manufacturers to correct the situation with proper shielding/grounding/error correction and other techniques.

As is, they're admitting the possibility exists that a genuine terrorist might be able to adversely affect a flight with a custom "airplane mode", instead of fixing the problem.