FAA Reported To Be Revisiting List Of Allowed Personal Electronics On Flights

I never understood how on one hand airplane pilots could now be using Apple iPads as their log books and other flight information but passengers couldn’t use one during taxing, take-off, and landings.

It seems that the FAA might finally be wondering the same thing as word is popping up on the web that the agency is going to take another look at their list of personal electronics and when they can be used on airplane flights.

The last time they revisited this issue was back in 2006 and well before the explosion of tablets so they apparently feel that maybe the time has come to rethink their policy.

Laura J. Brown, deputy assistant administrator for the public affairs for the FAA had this to say about the decision:

With the advent of new and evolving electronic technology, and because the airlines have not conducted the testing necessary to approve the use of new devices, the FAA is taking a fresh look at the use of personal electronic devices, other than cellphones, on aircraft.

Th reason that the airlines haven’t done this is because of what they consider to be an onerous cost to them. For example and airline would need to test every generation of the iPad, as well as any other tablets, on every single model plane in their fleet in order to get FAA approval and all that testing costs a lot of money.

Wit the FAA doing the testing, or making it easier on the airlines, we could see those silly “turn off all electronic devices while landing” announcements, which I am sure will make some folks very happy,

via Ars Technica