Texting While Flying vs. Texting While Driving

[Janet Davidson]

Really? Texting has been available for 15+ years & no aviation accidents or incidents in all that time.

[rosiejerryrosie]

Really? Texting has been available for 15+ years & no aviation accidents or incidents in all that time.

Maybe that's because most people have been following the rules....'til now.

[teknosmurf]

Maybe that's because most people have been following the rules....

You mean by only texting in the cockpit when no navigational aid will be affected (thereby no rules are broken)?

(sorry, apparently I had one last one in me)

[Mike M]

Jerrie...for the last time...it's not illegal

uh. yeah, it is:

http://www.fcc.gov/guides/wireless-devices-airplanes
edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2007/octqtr/pdf/47cfr22.925.pdf

if you don't believe what you read, call and ask them:

1-888-225-5322

i phoned. rosiejerryrosie is right. it's illegal.

[Mike M]

That pax should have been told to keep his phone off

he was. It was part of the pre-landing checklist required cabin announcement. people who operate by "understanding" not facts often don't comply with rules because they think the rules don't make sense, or don't apply to them, or won't be enforced, or don't have consequences. well, the law of gravity applies to each of us (otherwise why do we have aircraft?) and eventually the ignorant, non-compliant, acting-on-incomplete-understanding gentleman would have realized that after we exhausted the fuel supply. but no, i'm not that dumb. y'see, i'd read the rules about alternative courses of action, and if i hadn't discovered what he was doing, he'd a'bin someplace else costing the airline money to get him and his fellow passengers back to colorado springs. sheesh. just read the rules, do what they say, until research pins down all the FACTS so we can benefit from the wealth of EXPERIENCE and amend the rules if appropriate. aviation, electronics, and avionics aren't political science or democracy. they're actual science, like physics and aerodynamics and other stuff that isn't governed by public opinion polls or rigged voting.

[Frank Giger]

Of course the nasty little secret about GA is that one can do just about anything without censure until there's a wreck or incident.

Might as well start a thread about wearing swim fins while piloting an aircraft - somebody will come out and say they've been doing it for thirty years without a problem!

[rangerofthewest]

My opinion on this topic is that it can be dangerous, but it depends. If you are flying in a plane with no auto-pilot, or a glider, then obviously, it's a stupid idea. But in a plane with auto-pilot, it still isn't smart (in event of an emergency), but it isn't as dangerous.

[rosiejerryrosie]

I just read a quote that may apply here. "Most aviation rules are written in blood" (ie-Most rules come about because of someone else's blood)

[FloridaJohn]

Besides the potential electrical interference issues, how is texting on a phone different than unfolding a sectional chart, studying the chart/looking for your location, and then folding it back up again?

Seems to me that both actions will divert your attention from flying, but presumably charts are still being used in airplanes.

[Frank Giger]

I pre-fold my sectional and have it open on my thigh board for easy reference. On the board itself is a quick guide for frequencies & runways for the usual airports in the area.

Years spent as an Artillery Forward Observer makes navigation not so difficult, particularly since I'm usually going less than 70 mph IAS.