New study says cell phones do interfere with instruments

[mikea]

New study at Carnegie Mellon University says cell phones do interfere with instruments...

Researchers concluded that such devices can disrupt the operation of cockpit instruments, including the Global Positioning System receivers that are becoming more common in helping to ensure safe landings.

Researchers noted that there is no definitive instance of an electronic device used by a passenger causing an accident. However, they said their data support the conclusion that use of devices like cell phones "will, in all likelihood, someday cause an accident by interfering with critical cockpit instruments such as GPS receivers."

...not that the researchers are going for publicity or anything.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06060/662669.stm

Ya know, like when the lightning strike makes the radio stop working on Harrison's Beaver so he has to crash land on the island.

Slashdot discussion with a lotta pilots chiming in: http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/03/01/147231

As one of the posters pointed out, a commercial jet made a SAFE visual, complete power off landing once.

 

[Ghery]

As one of the posters pointed out, a commercial jet made a SAFE visual, complete power off landing once.

Actually, I think this has been done twice, both times by Canadians. The Gimli Glider and one that made a landing in th Azores (I think) after really screwing up a fuel problem.

But, the key point is, it has been done without loss of life.

 

[Michael]

there was an american airlines landed in bryce canyon UT in 2000. lost both engines. md80 i believe.

 

[bstratt]

Ya know, like when the lightning strike makes the radio stop working on Harrison's Beaver so he has to crash land on the island.

After seeing that movie I asked my CFI why it was taking him so long to teach me to land when Harrison could teach his student in the 30 seconds before he passed out from blood loss.
I drew the conclusion that Harrison was a better CFI!

 

[bstratt]

Actually, I think this has been done twice, both times by Canadians.

One was the Air Canada jet that ran out of fuel (during the metric conversion days and a mistake was made between litres and gallons) and they glided to a closed air force base in the prairies (Saskatchewan??). Apparently the runway had been maintained as it was being used for drag races.

The second was an Air Transat flight that lost fuel due to a ruptured fuel line. Pilots were censored for not recognizing the problem and cross feeding fuel from the good tank/engine to the one that was dumping it. They were also commended for the dead stick landing. This has been on the Discovery Channel a few times.

 

[mikea]

After seeing that movie I asked my CFI why it was taking him so long to teach me to land when Harrison could teach his student in the 30 seconds before he passed out from blood loss.
I drew the conclusion that Harrison was a better CFI!

Which one is that?

I was thinking of "Seven days and Seven Nights" where Harrison made the landing on the beach of a deserted island. He liked the Beaver so much he bought one.

 

[bstratt]

Which one is that?

I was thinking of "Seven days and Seven Nights" where Harrison made the landing on the beach of a deserted island. He liked the Beaver so much he bought one.

Same movie! At the end, he and Anne Heche (sp?) are taking off with the pirates shooting at them. He gets shot and after taking off instructs her on landing techniques, then passes out. She lands the plane on the return to "home" island, albeit not a smooth water landing!