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Qantas Blames Wireless For Aircraft Incidents

musther writes "An Australian airline Qantas Airbus A330-300, suffered 'a sudden change of altitude' on Tuesday. "The mid-air incident resulted in injuries to 74 people, with 51 of them treated by three hospitals in Perth for fractures, lacerations and suspected spinal injuries when the flight bound from Singapore to Perth had a dramatic drop in altitude that hurled passengers around the cabin." Now it seems Qantas is seeking to blame interference from passenger electronics, and it's not the first time; 'In July, a passenger clicking on a wireless mouse mid-flight was blamed for causing a Qantas jet to be thrown off course.' Is there any precedent for wireless electronics interfering with aircraft systems? Interfering with navigation instruments is one thing, but causing changes in the 'elevator control system' — I would be quite worried if I thought the aircraft could be flown with a bluetooth mouse."

33 of 773 comments (clear)

  1. Shhh... Don't tell the terrorists by nedlohs · · Score: 3, Funny

    Why bring a bomb or a bottle of water when you can just bring a couple of bags full of wireless mice...

    1. Re:Shhh... Don't tell the terrorists by MPAB · · Score: 5, Funny

      Coming this summer: Mice on a Plane!

  2. Not the right reason to worry. by aadvancedGIR · · Score: 3, Funny

    "I would be quite worried if I thought the aircraft could be flown with a bluetooth mouse."
    Flown? No. Crashed? Maybe.

    Fixed that for you.

  3. The deadly crash of a Concorde... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    ...was blamed on a passenger who punched the monkey.

  4. This just in.... by Willis13 · · Score: 3, Funny

    "Terrorist hijacks Airbus with a laptop, MS Flight Simulator and a bluetooth mouse"

  5. Well... by r33per · · Score: 2, Funny

    Everyone knows that you shouldn't use Microsoft Flight Simulator X in a live environment.

  6. Now Qantas too? by Tjaden · · Score: 2, Funny

    Charlie: Ray, all airlines have crashed at one time or another, that doesn't mean that they are not safe.

    Raymond: QANTAS. QANTAS never crashed.

    Charlie: QANTAS?

    Raymond: Never crashed.

    Charlie: Oh that's gonna do me a lot of good because QANTAS doesn't fly to Los Angeles out of Cincinnati, you have to get to Melbourne! Melbourne, Australia in order to get the plane that flies to Los Angeles!

    That's a shame, now Rain Man REALLY can't fly

  7. Re:Moral of the story? by slasho81 · · Score: 5, Funny

    You're right. Banning liquids is moronic! This is a complete security theater right there. If only they'd do something about the real threats, like clothes. You can easily use trousers, a shirt or a bra to choke someone to death (thongs are best for this). Clothes are a serious security threat. I won't feel safe until the TSA bans all clothing articles.

  8. Penny-Arcade did a comic on this. by Drakin020 · · Score: 2, Funny

    http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/10/30/

    I can't believe no one has posted this yet.

    --
    The greatest revenge in life is massive success.
  9. Re:Moral of the story? by L4t3r4lu5 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Just prey to GOD you're not in seat 32A, with a fatty in 32B and C.

    Or one of us less-than-fragrant techs.

    --
    Finally had enough. Come see us over at https://soylentnews.org/
  10. Re:Moral of the story? by Warhawke · · Score: 5, Funny

    Good point. I believe I will stand in line at airports demanding that women remove their thongs and hand them over to me for the convenience and safety of other passengers. It is, after all, for the children.

  11. Re:WTF? by Intron · · Score: 4, Funny

    Airbus computer log: OMG. There's a Logitech G7 on a collision course. It's right on top of me! TAKE EVASIVE ACTION!

    --
    Intron: the portion of DNA which expresses nothing useful.
  12. Re:Moral of the story? by Cornflake917 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Hmmm...risk being choked to death or spend several hours sharing half your seat with the naked guy sitting next to you. I choose death by thong thank you very much.

  13. Re:Dear editors... by spuke4000 · · Score: 5, Funny

    They had the correct links but before submitting it he clicked his mouse which interfered with his computer.

    --
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  14. Re:Moral of the story? by monkeySauce · · Score: 3, Funny

    Well, that's logical.

    Kind of like how my brother's Honda died when his bitchy neighbor walked outside. If Honda's are that susceptible to PMS, then I'd rather not ride in their cars. The last thing I need is to be left stopped in the middle of the freeway at rush hour because some woman with a hormone imbalance got too close to the car.

    Buy Ford instead of Honda.

  15. Re:Moral of the story? by Onaga · · Score: 3, Funny

    Light does not penetrate solid objects!

    My, my. You even used an exclamation point because you were so sure. What about glass? Plastic? Sheets of colored paper for effect? Cardboard (maybe lump with paper)? Shining a bright light under your hand or in your mouth?

  16. Re:Moral of the story? by SleptThroughClass · · Score: 2, Funny

    Boeing uses analogs, and hydraulics controlled by the motive force of the pilot that is in turn, connected to the 'autopilot'.

    What an awful analogy, and not a single mention of a car.

  17. Re:Moral of the story? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny
  18. Re:Moral of the story? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Hey everyone - just think yourselves lucky that the shoe-bomber wasn't the underwear-bomber!

  19. Re:WTF? by PJ1216 · · Score: 5, Funny

    how fast the plane's attitude changes. All you'd have to do is go negative enough to lift people in the air, then back to positive and they'll fall down.

    Well, maybe someone should get that plane some therapy and stop all those attitude changes. We can't have planes flying around with violent mood swings. Negative attitude, positive attitude, I can't be dealing with these kinds of planes. I want a plane that has a stable attitude and won't throw a fit and hurl passengers about just 'cause someone clicked a mouse.

  20. Re:Sounds like bullshit to me... by tool462 · · Score: 3, Funny

    I'm not sure I agree. After all, I was using my cell phone while driving last week (I like to read the news on my way to work), and experienced a sudden crash. The only explanation is wireless interference.

  21. Re:Moral of the story? by j00r0m4nc3r · · Score: 5, Funny

    Just prey to GOD you're not in seat 32A, with a fatty in 32B and C.

    Or even worse, you're in 32B and the fatty is in 32A and 32C

  22. Re:Moral of the story? by flappinbooger · · Score: 2, Funny

    Ummmm, yes, Miss Flight Attendant? I need some of your complimentary rubber gloves and safety glasses, and possibly a smock. MmmmKay? Thaaaanks!

    Oh, also, can you tell the nice pilot man to keep the plane steady for a few moments, I need to titrate...

    --
    Flappinbooger isn't my real name
  23. Re:Moral of the story? by Thelasko · · Score: 5, Funny

    Just prey to GOD you're not in seat 32A, with a fatty in 32B and C.

    I'm preying to God I'm in a seat next to a hottie with 32Cs or 32Ds.

    I'm sorry, I couldn't resist!

    --
    One of our competitors trademarked the term "hypothesis". From now on, we will call them "boneheaded ideas".
  24. Re:Moral of the story? by MadnessASAP · · Score: 2, Funny

    And dont mind me while I remove the seats, peel back the floorboards and cut the rats nest of wiring, hydarulic lines and fuel lines. Oh this bottle of "water?" that's nothing I just think that these structural supports look thirsty. Hmm... That smoke probably means that they like it and want more, well there seems to be a lot of supports here, perhaps next time I should bring a few litres. They'll let through security with 10 Litres of water in a glass jug right?

    --
    I may agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to face the consequences of saying it.
  25. Re:Moral of the story? by 8282now · · Score: 2, Funny

    how about the less-than-fragrant male tech in need of 32d's (or would it be 46dd?? not really sure of the nomenclature anymore...)

  26. Re:The truth behind the pre-takeoff safety briefs by greyhueofdoubt · · Score: 2, Funny

    On a chartered military flight (omni air, I think) from CONUS to Qatar, we had this preflight brief:

    You know where the seatbelts are and how to use them. If we lose cabin pressure we're all going to die anyways. Hell no you don't want no coffee. Hell no you don't want no snacks. (whispered): Shhhhhh.... go to sleep.... Shhhh...... Sleeeeeep.....

    I am not kidding; that was what the flight attendant (civilian, omni employee) said. Short and sweet and they didn't care if we had electronic devices on. The only part that sucked was that the inflight film was some kid's movie about a little girl racing a zebra instead of a horse or something. And it played twice.

    -b

    --
    No offense, but I've stopped responding to AC's.
  27. Re:Moral of the story? by Dancindan84 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Unless they're making multiple lawsuits and they're treated as FIFO by the court system... yeah that's a stretch. :-)

    --
    "Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much." - Oscar Wilde
  28. Re:Moral of the story? by plasmacutter · · Score: 2, Funny

    did you think radio waves were something other than light?

    well.. i suppose youre right.

    I make frequent calls to the police telling them to shut down WRAS because their FM signal is keeping me awake at night. I mean.. even with my eyes closed it's like staring into the sun : P

    --
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  29. We've got you uncovered by Hoi+Polloi · · Score: 2, Funny

    And I'll handle the bras. To make sure they aren't tampered with before inspection it'll be crucial that I remove them directly from the passengers. I think I'll have my hands full with this job.

    --
    It is by the juice of the coffee bean that thoughts acquire speed, the teeth acquire stains. The stains become a warning
    1. Re:We've got you uncovered by GaryPatterson · · Score: 4, Funny

      Well, since you're new you'll have to start with the over 70s.

      Enjoy!

  30. Re:Moral of the story? by RandySC · · Score: 2, Funny

    I am the pilot of a PC based flight simulator and I hear these same noises from an incoming sms or phone call:)

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