Wireless Communications on Commercial Aircraft

1. Wireless Communications on Commercial Aircraft Joe Belton 04/03/07 HTM 304 Dr. Fang

2. The Aircraft Industry as a Leaderin the Technological Frontier • Many cutting edge commercially available technologies were first developed in the aircraft industry • Global Positioning System (GPS) • Advanced Video On Demand (AVOD) • Tire Pressure Indication System (TPIS) • Onboard Diagnostic Equipment • Composite Materials • Anti-Lock Breaks

3. Why the Delay in AllowingOnboard Wireless Devices? • Safety concerns • Interference with onboard communication and navigation equipment • Disruption of ground-based cell phone network • Social concerns • Neighboring passenger disruption • Offensive or obscene material • Business concerns • Mandate single standard • Allow multiple standards • Costs to airlines and service providers

4. Regulatory Agencies • Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) • Federal Communications Commission (FCC) • Federal Trade Commission (FTC) In-flight cell phone use is banned on US-registered aircraft, or any aircraft in US airspace! Similar restrictions exist throughout the world!

5. Regulatory Agencies, cont. However, the FAA and other overseas agencies allow in-flight use of laptops, MP3 players, handheld video game consoles, and even cell phones with inactive wireless capabilities, over 10,000 feet! What’s the difference?

6. Competing Cell Phone Technologies • Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), used in Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) networks [to be replaced by 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP)] • Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) [to be replaced by 3rd Generation Partnership Project 2 (3GPP2), aka CDMA2000]

7. Potential Cell Phone Concerns • Signals are stronger than emissions from other portable devices (TDMA worse than CDMA) • Signals can be received at great distances, far from the user • Unintentional signals (aka “spurious emissions”) can be emitted

8. Potential Cell Phone Dangers • Stray signals can travel through aircraft windows and contact outside antennas • Radiated energy from stray signals can be “received” by aircraft wiring and interrupt or confuse onboard systems • Radiated energy from stray signals can directly enter onboard computers or other systems

9. The Truth Is • There is no genuine proof that cell phone emissions make an airplane unsafe to fly by interfering with the onboard systems! • Some industry experts believe that at least a few passengers do not turn off their cell phones during every flight! • No in-flight interference has ever been replicated in a controlled environment! • No in-flight cell phone use has ever led to an aircraft accident!

10. Industry Groups • Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics (RTCA) • Private, non-profit group • Advises the FAA and FCC on technical matters • Recently finished an intensive four-year study on potential interference from in-air use of cell phones, Wi-Fi transmitters in laptops, and other electronic devices

11. RTCA Study Conclusions • Does not advocate in-flight cell phone use at this time • Does instruct airlines how to test for interference (each airline and aircraft type must be certified separately) • Authorization of in-flight cell phone use may occur later this year • Eventual authorization of other devices may be a reality next year

12. Future In-flight Technologies • Internet connectivity • Instant messaging • Wireless email In the near future your aircraft cabin may have as many Wi-Fi hotspots as your local Starbucks!

13. Sources • “Will Cell Phones Soar?”, Kathryn Balint, The San Diego Union-Tribune, 01/19/07, page C1 • “Research: In-Flight Cell Calls Possible”, Kathryn Balint, San Diego Union-Tribune, 03/24/07, page C1 • “WiFi in the Sky: Airlines Prepare Cabin Hotspots”, Scott McCartney, The Wall Street Journal, 04/03/07 • The Boeing Company website, www.boeing.com • Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, www.wikipedia.com • Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics website, www.rtca.org