AOPA advocates in-flight mobile phone use

A recent article highlights the AOPA's advocacy of in-flight cell phone use:

http://www.aopa.org/whatsnew/newsite...070426fcc.html

It references this March 2005 article,

http://www.aopa.org/whatsnew/newsite...50328cell.html

which states in part:

Despite the concern in some quarters that cell phones might cause
interference with aircraft radios and navigation equipment, the FAA
has never prohibited their use for aircraft operating under VFR. The
aviation agency always has given pilots the final authority on what
portable electronic devices could be used in the flight. And AOPA
talked with several major cell phone service providers and found no
restrictions on using their services in GA cockpits.

So, the FAA doesn't care if we use mobile phones in our gliders, and the
networks don't mind if we use mobile phones in our gliders, and with a
complete lack of reported problems from doing so, I'd like to suggest
using a mobile phone in a glider doesn't produce any victims. I further
suggest if safety or your spouses peace of mind is a stake, you can make
a call on your mobile without guilt.

Perhaps our discussions about in-flight use of mobile phones should
shift to why the FCC is so far behind the users and providers of mobile
phones.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA
* Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly
* "Transponders in Sailplanes" http://tinyurl.com/y739x4
* "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" at www.motorglider.org