FCC talking about relaxing cell phone rules

On Wed, 15 Dec 2004 08:48:10 -0500, "Reid & Julie Baldwin"
wrote:

The news lately has mentioned that the FCC is meeting to discuss relaxing
the ban on using cell phones in airplanes. Most of the news coverage focuses
on the implications for airline passengers. They said that the FAA would
also
have to change rules before airline passengers could use cell phones.
The FCC is mainly concerned with interference with ground based use.
The FAA is mostly concerned about interference with aircraft electronics.
Does the FAA prohibit cell phone use in private aircraft, or is that just an
FCC rule? If it becomes legal to use a cell phone from the air, I may have
to look into one of those headset adapters for cell phones.

As far as using a cell phone on a commercial airliner at any of the
flight levels, I would find it hard to believe that they would get any
useful reception. I have attempted to use a cell phone while in the
middle of a part 91 flight at FL210 in an attempt to get in touch with
our mechanic because we were having some issues with our left engine.
My phone has always had reliable reception almost every place I go, so
I was not surprise when I saw that I had 3 bars showing good service,
but by the time I hit my speed dial, I was out of reception, then back
in, then out then back..... We were cruising fast enough that I was
jumping in and out of service that it made the use of the phone
impossible. So we ended up making a precautionary landing at another
airport to have the issue looked at by another mechanic.

Now flying a little 172 or something comparable at low altitudes, then
I think you would be successful.


Scott D.