A pilot reveals the important safety reason why passengers must switch their phones to airplane mode during flight takeoff.
Upon boarding, flight attendants remind passengers to switch their phones to airplane mode.
But what does this really mean, and why is it so important?
A pilot recently shared insights on the matter, shedding light on the necessity of this simple action.
What is airplane mode?
Airplane mode is a setting found on most smartphones and electronic devices.
When activated, it disables all wireless connections.
This means you cannot make calls, send texts, or use mobile data.
Essentially, your device will not connect to any networks while in this mode.
Why should we place phone in airplane mode when flight takes off?
The main reason for using airplane mode is safety.
When a plane is in flight, the signals from phones can interfere with the aircraft’s systems.
These signals can affect navigation equipment and radar, which are crucial for flying safely.
According to safety regulations, especially in the United States, it is illegal to operate cellular devices while an aircraft is airborne.
This law helps ensure that all electronic devices are off or in airplane mode during takeoff and landing.
“Cellular telephones installed in or carried aboard airplanes, balloons, or any other type of aircraft must not be operated while such aircraft are airborne (not touching the ground).
When any aircraft leaves the ground, all cellular telephones on board that aircraft must be turned off.”
@perchpoint
What happens if the passenger forgets?
A pilot known as @PerchPoint on TikTok recently discussed what happens if a passenger forgets to switch their phone to airplane mode.
He reassured viewers that if you forget to do this, it is not the end of the world.
The plane will not crash, and serious problems are unlikely to occur. However, that does not mean it is okay to ignore the rule.
In a video, he said: “If you forget to put your phone on airplane mode, no, it’s not the end of the world, the plane will not fall out of the sky and it won’t even mess with the systems on board.”
The pilot explained that if several passengers have their phones trying to connect to a cell tower, it creates radio waves.
These waves can interfere with the communications pilots rely on.
He shared a personal experience where he struggled to hear important messages due to this interference.
He described the sound as annoying, similar to a buzzing insect, which made it difficult for him to focus.
“If you have an aircraft with 70, 80, 150 people on board, and even three or four people’s phones start to try to make a connection to a radio tower for an incoming phone call, it sends out radio waves,” he added.
“There’s the potential that those radio waves can interfere with the radio waves of the headset that the pilots are using.”
“It kinda sounded like a mosquito in my ear,” he explained.
What can we do instead?
When your phone is in airplane mode, you can still use many features of your device.
You can listen to downloaded music, watch downloaded movies, or read e-books.
Many people enjoy catching up on their favorite shows during flights, as long as they have downloaded them beforehand.
This allows you to enjoy your time without worrying about connectivity.