FAA Commissions Safety Study of In-Air Cell Phones By Keith L. Alexander Washington Post Staff Writer Friday, June 20, 2003; A study commissioned by the Federal Aviation Administration and the Air Transport Association is intended to resolve a long-standing question: Do wireless telecommunications devices on commercial flights interfere with navigational equipment? The study, to be conducted by the nonprofit group RTCA , will investigate the effects of high-altitude communications from handheld computers, laptops and cell phones. Experts say there is no proof that wireless devices interfere with navigation systems. David S. Watrous, president of RTCA, formerly known as the Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics, said anecdotal evidence suggests that some pilots have had trouble with their equipment when passengers used wireless communications devices. "There's potential of interference from these devices, but no one has ever been able to corroborate that when you turn the electronic gizmo on, it will cause an airplane failure," Watrous said. The FAA and the Federal Communications Commission prohibit cell-phone use from the moment a plane's door is closed before takeoff to the time the plane arrives at a gate. All other wireless communication also is banned. The FCC is reviewing its guidelines, which are more than 15 years old, to account for changing technology. Passengers are permitted to use portable CD or DVD players and laptops without wireless modems after takeoff. Passengers and airlines are pressing for access to more extensive communications in the air. United Airlines this week became the nation's first carrier to offer travelers the ability to send and receive e-mail during domestic flights. The system, operated with Verizon Airfone, allows passengers to plug their laptops into seatback phones for $16. The phones already aboard planes have technology approved by the FAA that does not interfere with navigational systems. Leo F. Mullin, chairman and chief executive of Delta Air Lines, said yesterday that airlines realize that passengers, especially frequent business travelers, want to use cell phones during flights. "If you're able to watch TV on planes, I'm sure it won't be long before you can use your cell phones," he said. The study group is made up of executives from airlines, aircraft manufacturers and makers of wireless devices. Representatives of cell-phone companies such as Verizon also are participating. The group met for the first time last month and plans to meet again July 22 to 24 at the RTCA's downtown headquarters. The study is scheduled for completion by October 2005. An FCC study in 2000 found that cell-phone use aboard aircraft increases the number of blocked or dropped calls on the ground. That's because at high altitude, cellular signals are spread across several base stations, preventing other callers within range of those base stations from using the same frequencies. If the study determines exactly what causes the trouble, the study's authors hope that cell-phone manufacturers could make phones that alleviate the problem. Such phones may not be far off, said Michael Kuhn, director of marketing for Verizon's Airfone. "The end goal is for someone to use their own handset," he said. "We are very focused on bringing those wireless services to the aircraft." *************************************************** The owner of Roger's Trinbago Site/TnTisland.com Roj (Roger James) escape email mailto:ejames@xxxxxxxxx Trinbago site: www.tntisland.com Carib Brass Ctn site www.tntisland.com/caribbeanbrassconnection/ Steel Expressions www.mts.net/~ejames/se/ Mas Site: www.tntisland.com/tntrecords/mas2003/ Site of the Week: http://www.carib-link.net/naparima/naps.html TnT Webdirectory: http://search.co.tt *********************************************************