Gameboys and Planes?

[diddldonna]

Are the children allowed to use gameboys on the plane?

Donna

 

[AlanUK]

Yes

There are restrictions on electronic devices during take off and landing though.

 

[LeCras]

They can use a gameboy at any time when the seat belt sign is not illuminated. If it is illuminated mid-flight the gameboy needs to be switched off.

Charlotte

 

[diddldonna]

Thanks for your quick replies as leaving tomo.

Donna

 

[Tink78]

Your count down makes me want to cry.
1 day until DisneyWorld.
Lucky thing!

Have a brill time

 

[diddldonna]

I am so excited, i have had the holiday book since Aug 2005 and have been waiting for it to come round. The sad thing is coming home, lol.

Donna

 

[#1MMFan]

They can use a gameboy at any time when the seat belt sign is not illuminated. If it is illuminated mid-flight the gameboy needs to be switched off.

Charlotte

How come nobody disturbs me to switch off my mp3 or make any announcement re this when I've had to fasten my seatbelt mid-flight? I've just been on 6 flights in the last 3 wks and not one of them asked me to do this. Just curious... seems strange wouldn't you agree?

 

[LeCras]

How come nobody disturbs me to switch off my mp3 or make any announcement re this when I've had to fasten my seatbelt mid-flight? I've just been on 6 flights in the last 3 wks and not one of them asked me to do this. Just curious... seems strange wouldn't you agree?

I am obviously unable to comment on your particular flights, but most airlines prefer that entertainment devices are not used when the fasten seat belt signs are illuminated. This is to ensure your own safety - if they need to make a cabin PA announcement you are more likely to hear it without your headphones.

Charlotte

 

[disneyholic family]

I am obviously unable to comment on your particular flights, but most airlines prefer that entertainment devices are not used when the fasten seat belt signs are illuminated. This is to ensure your own safety - if they need to make a cabin PA announcement you are more likely to hear it without your headphones.

Charlotte

i guess it must depend on the airline....on the airlines i've flown, they seem to have a 10,000 foot rule....when the plane reaches 10,000 feet after takeoff you're permitted to use electronic devices....and they always make an announcement that you're permitted to turn them on and when you have to turn them off before landing...

by the way, there are a few electronic devices that you're not supposed to use on planes at all, but i can't remember what they are....
but gameboys and ipods are ok...

 

[Galactic Emperor]

They can use a gameboy at any time when the seat belt sign is not illuminated. If it is illuminated mid-flight the gameboy needs to be switched off.

Charlotte

Sorry,
but that's just´plain wrong. The main reason why electronic devices shall not be used during certain flight phases is the possible disturbance of the aircraft's navigational systems. As soon as you left the vicinity of the airport until you start the initial approach into your destination you can use electronic devices. The fasten seat belt sign during flight is more or less unnecessary anyway, as everybody should stay buckled up for the duration of the flight. A clear air turbulance can hit any aircraft at any time, only complete fools open their belts when the lights are extinguished after departure. The 'Fasten seat belt'-sign being switched on during flight has the meaning 'If you're walking around the plane or not in your seat right now, get back and stay seated!'.
And teh statement about the necessity to hear the PA is also wrong or the flight attendants would have to wake up every sleeping passenger in that case.

 

[Galactic Emperor]

i guess it must depend on the airline....on the airlines i've flown, they seem to have a 10,000 foot rule....when the plane reaches 10,000 feet after takeoff you're permitted to use electronic devices....and they always make an announcement that you're permitted to turn them on and when you have to turn them off before landing...

by the way, there are a few electronic devices that you're not supposed to use on planes at all, but i can't remember what they are....
but gameboys and ipods are ok...

Cell phones are a no-no - although that may change sooner or later as some manufacturers already work on relay systems which pick up your cellphone's signal in the cabin, transmit it to an antenna outside the airframe, and then send it to the next ground station. I hope that isn't realized too soon as I really love to be in a cellphone-free area from time to time
Some airlines used to prohibit the use of CD- or DVD-drives, but that's over. IcelandAir gives out free personal DVD-players in its Saga-class for the duration of the flight and on most Amercan airports you can rent those DVD-players and return them at your destination.

 

[BONZO]

An airplane contains a number of radios for a variety of tasks.

There is a radio that the pilots use to talk to ground control and air traffic control (ATC).

There is another radio that the plane uses to disclose its position to ATC computers.

There are radar units used for guidance and weather detection, and so on.

All of these radios are transmitting and receiving information at specific frequencies. If someone were to turn on a cell phone, the cell phone would transmit with a great deal of power (up to 3 watts).

If it happens to create interference that overlaps with radio frequencies the plane is using, then messages between people or computers may be garbled.

If one of the wires in the plane has damaged shielding, there is some possibility of the wire picking up the phone's signals just like my computer's speakers do. That could create faulty messages between pieces of equipment within the plane.

From howstuffworks.com

 

[BONZO]

The prohibition on laptops and CD players during takeoff and landing is addressing the same issue, but the concerns here might fall into the category of "better safe than sorry."

A poorly shielded laptop could transmit a fair amount of radio energy at its operating frequency, and this could, theoretically, create a problem.

 

[FloridaSam]

We asked the Virgin stewardess on the return flight earlier this year and the children were allowed to use their Nintendo DS.

 

[jns]

What else
I will start the list

Can be used

Ipods
Gameboys
mp3 / CD players


What cannot be used

mobile phones

 

[Miffy2003]

Jackie you may be better off starting a new thread with what you want answered

 

[jns]

Good Idea
I will

 

[Galactic Emperor]

There is another radio that the plane uses to disclose its position to ATC computers.

This one's wrong or least not completey correct: The position of the aircraft is not relayed to ATC via radio. This is done by RADAR. There are two different radar systems used for this.
Primary radar is used to 'see' the aircraft. This is doen by using those use rotating antennae which are shaped like a snow ploughs blade. The emitt a radar impulse which is reflected by the aircraft and displayed on a scope. Unfortunately this is just 'blip' not saying anything about the ID of the aircraft. For this there is
Secondary radar. This is a second system attached to the primiary radar's antenna. It's a long box usually located at the lower or upper edget of aforementioned 'snow plough'. This sends out a signal to every aircraft in its range. All aircraft have a so-called 'transponder', which then sends back a signal containing information about the ID and the altitude of the aircraft. This info is then used to generate a label on the Air Traffic Contoller's scope. Saying for example BA1234 410 480. This means British Aiways flight 1234 at Flight Level 410 (41.000ft) flying at 480 knots. The speed is determied by the radar sysstem's computer simply making a distance/time calculation between two sweeps of the scope.
The transponder in the cockpit can be set to 4096 different codes only as it is a 4digit code based on the oktal system. As there are more than 4096 aircraft on this planet, pilots have to change codes frequently when crossing airspace boundaries. Additiinally there are special codes available which can be set to attract ATC's attention, i.e. in case of a general emergency, unlawful interference (Hijacking), or radio communication failure.

 

[patdavies]

Sorry,
but that's just´plain wrong. The main reason why electronic devices shall not be used during certain flight phases is the possible disturbance of the aircraft's navigational systems. As soon as you left the vicinity of the airport until you start the initial approach into your destination you can use electronic devices. The fasten seat belt sign during flight is more or less unnecessary anyway, as everybody should stay buckled up for the duration of the flight. A clear air turbulance can hit any aircraft at any time, only complete fools open their belts when the lights are extinguished after departure. The 'Fasten seat belt'-sign being switched on during flight has the meaning 'If you're walking around the plane or not in your seat right now, get back and stay seated!'.
And teh statement about the necessity to hear the PA is also wrong or the flight attendants would have to wake up every sleeping passenger in that case.

As is your reason "plain wrong".

It's the CONTROL systems that are the major concern. You don't need navigation systems to point an aircraft down a runway. You do definitely need safe and predictable control. The very last thing you need is any unpredicted change in lift, yaw or balance during these critical phases of a flight.

 

[patdavies]

This one's wrong or least not completey correct: The position of the aircraft is not relayed to ATC via radio. This is done by RADAR. There are two different radar systems used for this.
Primary radar is used to 'see' the aircraft. This is doen by using those use rotating antennae which are shaped like a snow ploughs blade. The emitt a radar impulse which is reflected by the aircraft and displayed on a scope. Unfortunately this is just 'blip' not saying anything about the ID of the aircraft. For this there is
Secondary radar. This is a second system attached to the primiary radar's antenna. It's a long box usually located at the lower or upper edget of aforementioned 'snow plough'. This sends out a signal to every aircraft in its range. All aircraft have a so-called 'transponder', which then sends back a signal containing information about the ID and the altitude of the aircraft. This info is then used to generate a label on the Air Traffic Contoller's scope. Saying for example BA1234 410 480. This means British Aiways flight 1234 at Flight Level 410 (41.000ft) flying at 480 knots. The speed is determied by the radar sysstem's computer simply making a distance/time calculation between two sweeps of the scope.
The transponder in the cockpit can be set to 4096 different codes only as it is a 4digit code based on the oktal system. As there are more than 4096 aircraft on this planet, pilots have to change codes frequently when crossing airspace boundaries. Additiinally there are special codes available which can be set to attract ATC's attention, i.e. in case of a general emergency, unlawful interference (Hijacking), or radio communication failure.

The rotating antenna on the ground is the primary ATC radar - the box sticking out in front of the 'snow plough' is the true 'antenna'; the 'snow plough' is simply a reflector. The one's that you see at the airport are usually ground radar and used to monitor aircraft movement on the ground. Just like a satellite dish, the dish is a reflector and the bit out the front is the LMB (or antenna)

Aircraft are identified via a transponder - which is a simply radio transmitter that either sends a signal at aircrew command (squark ident) or automatically in response to a transmission from the ground. Aircrew can set the 4 digits transmitted from the flight deck. Certain codes are used not as aircraft identification, but as signals of abnormal circumstances - like hi-jack. These transponders were developed from the military IFF (Identify Friend or Foe) systems, where all friendly aircraft would transmit a code for the day when interrogated, in an effort to stop 'friendly fire' incidents in the heat of battle.