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Rent an iPad For Inflight Entertainment

Posted by samzenpus on from the would-you-like-an-apple-product-with-your-meal? dept.

OzPeter writes "Jetstar will start renting out of pre-loaded iPads as a form of inflight entertainment instead of the more typical seat back video system. No word in the article on how or if they will handle Wi-Fi connections, but interestingly it does mention that they will be usable during takeoff and landings — something that will be sure to spark lots of discussion regarding planes and modern electronics."

5 of 198 comments (clear)

  1. Aircraft electronics by Joce640k · · Score: 5, Informative

    Aircraft electrics have been WiFi/phone safe for decades, if they weren't then every lightning bolt with 100 miles would be a threat.

    The reasons for not allowing those things aren't to do with safety.

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    1. Re:Aircraft electronics by RedLeg · · Score: 4, Informative

      The reasons for not allowing those things aren't to do with safety.

      The reasons have EVERYTHING to do with safety, just not the way most people think.

      The airlines and the FAA don't want passengers to be distracted or rows and aisles to be encumbered. Passengers need to be alert enough take direction from the aircrew (pilots + flight attendants) and free to maneuver in times of emergency. The most likely times for emergencies are during takeoffs and landings, hence the ban.

      It has nothing to with harmful interference with avionics, but with interrupting communications and encumbering maneuvering.

      Consider trying to get up and use the head from a window seat when the passengers in the row ahead have their seats reclined, and those on your row have tables down and laptops out. Add earphones in ears impeding hearing, and you get a mess in an emergency.

      Red

    2. Re:Aircraft electronics by IndustrialComplex · · Score: 4, Informative

      Humorously, no. You inspect HV power lines with a Cessna or a helicopter, not a fully loaded 747.

      You also are doing the inspection on VFR days, so if VOR gets screwed up it's not that big of a deal.

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    3. Re:Aircraft electronics by 5pp000 · · Score: 2, Informative

      I distinctly recall that, in the days when analog cassette players were still around but digital devices had appeared, the instruction to turn off devices for takeoff and landing applied only to the digital ones -- use of cassette players was specifically allowed.

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    4. Re:Aircraft electronics by paeanblack · · Score: 2, Informative

      The problem with electronic gizmos hit when planes already had a lot of electronic instruments.

      The real problem is that a cellphone at 10,000ft over an urban area can see a crapton of cell towers. The system wasn't originally designed to have one phone talking to 500 towers while moving at 450 knots. That the inter-cell traffic to constantly hand off that phone and coordinate everything put a huge strain on the system.

      Also, the airlines didn't want cellphones competing with their existing Airphone at $5/minute.

      The 1991 cellphone ban on airplanes had little to do with safety...it was about technical limitations and price gouging. Selling the ban as "for safety reasons" was just the easiest way to get everyone to comply and to speak up if their rowmate broke the rules.

      Nowadays, the cell system is far more robust, and phones at altitude aren't so disruptive. The Airphone is mostly dead. Congress is looking into relaxing the ban. People are also realizing that thousands of cellphones get used on planes every day, either intentionally or accidentally left on, and thousands of planes aren't crashing every day.

      The biggest resistance to lifting the ban now is that people don't want to sit next to someone screaming into a cellphone for several hours.