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According to researchers at EMT Labs, tablets and e-readers such as the Amazon Kindle do not pose much of a threat at all

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has banned airplane passengers' use of mobile electronics like iPads and Kindles during takeoff and landing due to interference, but recent results from EMT Labs challenge this ban and further raise the question, "Why not?"

Earlier this month, it was discovered that the FAA decided to allow American Airlines pilots to use iPads instead of paper flight manuals in the cockpit. This raised a few eyebrows, since passengers are banned from using such electronic devices during takeoff and landing due to possible interference with sensitive airplane electronics.

Many wondered how the iPads would affect these important electronics when used so closely to such equipment, but the FAA justified the decision after conducting a test of the use of mobile electronics in the cockpit. It also said that having one iPad per pilot versus an iPad or Kindle for every passenger made a big difference in the level of interference.

However, The New York Times now disagrees with the FAA's reasoning after taking a trip to EMT Labs, which is an independent testing facility in California that screens the electrical emissions from different gadgets.

According to researchers at EMT Labs, tablets and e-readers such as the Amazon Kindle do not pose much of a threat at all. The FAA has specified that a plane is only approved as safe if it can withstand up to 100 volts per meter of electrical interference; EMT Labs says an Amazon e-reader emits under 30 microvolts per meter when in use, which is 0.00003 of a volt.

"The power coming off a Kindle is completely miniscule and can't do anything to interfere with a plane," said Jay Gandhi, chief executive of EMT Labs. "It's so low that it just isn't sending out any real interference."

In addition, the FAA is apparently wrong when it comes to the "two tablets versus many" theory. EMT Labs argued that electromagnetic energy doesn't add up as more e-readers are used on the plane; rather, the "noise" from such gadgets decreases as more are used.

The FAA does allow gadgets such as voice recorders to be used during takeoff and landing, but as it turns out, a Sony voice recorder emits more electrical interference than a Kindle.

According to Bill Ruck, CSI Telecommunications' lead engineer, the FAA only bans tablets and e-readers during takeoff and landing because of "agency inertia and paranoia."

While the EMT Labs tests didn't provide specific results concerning iPads instead of e-readers, which are the devices in question regarding use in the cockpit during takeoff and landing, this is a solid first step in finding out why the FAA is really banning these gadgets.

Source: The New York Times

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How about Wi-Fi?
By plu1357 on 12/27/2011 10:32:29 AM , Rating: 2
Now a days, most of e-readers have built-in Wi-Fi. Did the EMT lab evaluate the emission with or without Wi-Fi? It's a common knowledge that ALL electronic devices emits EM interference, but Wi-Fi is a different scenario. If Wi-Fi do pose a threat for safety, it's hard to ensure e-reader on with Wi-Fi off. Another thought, why not implement a detection device to measure ALL EM interference during take off and landing? If over limit, flight attendants can request passengers to cooperate. Otherwise, everyone is a happy camper. I think a simple device for $100 or less should do the job.

RE: How about Wi-Fi?
By Gondor on 12/27/2011 4:03:06 PM , Rating: 2
There are devices which transmit at higher power only from time to time, not always (think of cell phones for example).

*IF* RF interference from gadgets could harm the airplane electronics you idea wouldn't work because there is no way of knowing whether meter reads "safe" because everyone has their phone turned off or simply because noone has made a call in that very moment = this could change just one second later ... or in the middle of take-off/landing.

Oh and there's a big IF up there ;-)

