The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has given its approval for the use of Portable Electronic Devices (PEDs) during all phases of flight. This was communicated in a Press Release yesterday by the FAA’s Administrator, Michael Huerta.
A Portable Electronic Device is any piece of lightweight, electrically-powered equipment. These devices are typically consumer electronic devices capable of communications, data processing and/or utility. Examples range from handheld, lightweight electronic devices such as tablets, e-readers, and smartphones to small devices such as MP3 players and electronic toys.
With this clearance, the US airlines are expected to let passengers use smartphones, tablets and e-books from the time they board the plane till they land at their destinations by the end of the year. Passengers can now read e-books, play games, and watch videos for the duration of domestic and international flights.
The FAA reached this decision based on the input from a group of experts that included representatives from the airlines, aviation manufacturers, passengers, pilots, flight attendants, and the mobile technology industry.
The FAA reached this decision based on the input from a group of experts that included representatives from the airlines, aviation manufacturers, passengers, pilots, flight attendants, and the mobile technology industry.
However Cell phones will still not be used for voice communications because of the possibility of radio interference with flight equipment. They can now be put in airplane mode or with the cellular connection disabled.
Internet connections for email, web surfing, and downloading will be prohibited below 10,000 feet.
