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Why the FAA May Finally Relax In-Flight Device Rules
Nick Bilton at the New York Times has been writing skeptically for years about the FAA's ban on even the most benign electronic devices during takeoff and landing on commercial passenger flights. He writes in the NYT's Bits column about the gradual transformation that may (real soon now) result in slightly more sensible rules; a committee established to review some of those in-flight rules has recommended the FAA ease up, at least on devices with no plausible negative effect on navigation. From the article: "The New York Times employed EMT Labs, an independent testing facility in Mountain View, Calif., to see if a Kindle actually gave off enough electromagnetic emissions to affect a plane. The findings: An Amazon Kindle emitted less than 30 microvolts per meter when in use. That is only 0.00003 of a volt. A Boeing 747 must withstand 200 volts per square meter. That is millions of Kindles packed into each square meter of the plane. Still, the F.A.A. said “No.” ... But then something started to change: society." Of course, the rules that committees recommend aren't always the ones that prevail on the ground or in the sky.
A pilot using an electronic device is different from passengers using an electronic device. If the pilot determines that there is interference, the pilot can shut the device off or use different navigation methods. If a passenger's device is causing interference, one must first find that passenger and then get him or her to turn the thing off. This takes a lot longer and it is logistically difficult.
As an electrical engineer and as an instrument rated pilot, I have seen electronic toys cause interference to aircraft navigation equipment. I caught that issue and corrected it (it was my own portable FM radio).
There is a certain degree of arrogance among passengers that goes along the lines of "if the crew can do this, so should I." Remember, in flight, the aircraft cabin is not a democracy. You take orders from the Captain and the Crew working on his or her behalf. If you do not, you can be forced, using whatever means necessary to attain compliance.
When you arrive, you may file whatever law suits you wish --but do note that they will be governed by admiralty law, not the law of whatever land or state you may have come from or arrived at.
There are many innocuous devices out there which will mess with aircraft navigation. In most cases, the problems are easily found and corrected for. But they do happen, and when they happen, they're very difficult to detect and stop.
Sure, the devices used in the cockpit have a failure rate of 0.001% or less. But they can do weird things and they can affect all sorts of instruments. Just remember that when screaming down an ILS at 150 knots on a dark and stormy night.