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The plural of anecdote is not data, but stories are fun. Last Christmas, I was on a multi-hop flight back to SF from the east coast. We were going to be landi
by fizx 16y ago
The plural of anecdote is not data, but stories are fun.
Last Christmas, I was on a multi-hop flight back to SF from the east coast. We were going to be landing in Vegas, and I was talking to a flight attendant. She mentions that conditions in Vegas were a little crazy, as the runway doesn't drain properly and crosswinds are common.
As we're preparing to land, the captain gives the usual speech. It's going to be a little rocky on the landing; there's a sleet storm, etc.
We're making our approach, and the flight attendant gets on the PA. "Someone's cell phone is on. Turn it OFF NOW." A minute later: "Someone's cell phone is still on. I need EVERYONE to doublecheck their phones, and get that phone switched off!"
We ended up diverting to Phoenix, because the pilot did not feel comfortable making an instruments-only landing. His announcement was the only time I've ever heard a pilot sound audibly rattled on the PA.
- endtime 16y agoDid it turn out that anyone actually had his phone on?
- borism 16y agoHow do you imagine they would find that out? Probably the problem was that during approach pilots had the usual GSM buzz in their headphones while trying to communicate with ATC. Do you really want your pilots not to hear ATC instructions on take-off, landing or taxi? Like not hearing landing clearance, or which runway exit to use, or what other traffic to lookout for. Do you even know what was the main cause of the deadliest air disaster (583 dead)? That's right, not hearing ATC instructions.
- cromulent 16y agoI thought that they did hear the ATC instructions but they were misunderstood. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenerife_airport_disaster#Probable_cause http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenerife_airport_disaster#Proba...
- elai 16y agoTo be able to hear the gsm buzz in their headphones, the cellphone would have to be on their person, turned on, and be about send/receive some sort of call or data. If a cell phone from a distance away can cause a gsm buzz, then being in an area that has cell phone reception would cause the buzz and they need to design their headphone systems better.
- StavrosK 16y agoIt was the pilot's phone, wasn't it.
- khakionion 16y agoSame thing happened to me on a Qantas flight out of Adelaide. Takeoff was crazy turbulent, and the pilot got on the PA several times pleading for "ALL your devices" to be shut off. Kinda scary. :)