In other news suggesting that the latest innovations in mobile telephony can prove a mixed blessing, the UKs Civilian Air Authority (CAA) has issued a report cautioning against the in-flight use of cell phones and has reminded the traveling public that refusing to obey the airline crew about cell phone use can result in prosecution. According to a CAA report, the signals from cell phones have resulted in false alarms regarding smoke in the baggage compartment, have interrupted vital communications because of noise in the flight crew’s earphones, and have disrupted navigation functions. According the one report in The Scotsman, a problem caused a 747 to turn right when the navigational system should have indicated a leftward course. Pilot intervention overcame that problem. According to Bob Jones, Head of Flight Operations at the CAA, “The safety risks of using a mobile on board aircraft are well-established.”See the notice and a link to the full 40-page report on the CAA website.
Phones Aloft Cause Problems
