If its "bad" to turn on cameras during takeoff & landing why is YouTube FULL of vids about them?

KatanaDV20

KatanaDV20

KatanaDV20

Soldato
Joined
17 Apr 2006
Posts
3,165
Location
3rd rock...
This is something that I still havent really understood and even pilots Ive met havent given me a good answer. What do you all think?

On many flights (I wont name airlines) I thought Id film the landing for some reason - maybe the approach was very scenic, a picture-postcard scene that would make a good vid. Fired up my Canon G9. Hardly 40 seconds into filming a REALLY irate FA comes up to me pushing my arm "Excuse me sir but camera off please during landing, please turn it off" She stood there to watch me kill it and then went back to her seat. The dude sitting near me rolled his eyes and so did I.

Ive had worse - one even made me put the G9 back into my backpack :mad:

If this is so dangerous why arent planes falling out of the sky each time a camcorder, MP3 player or digicam is powered up? Are you telling me that the avionics on a modern Boeing or Airbus are THAT susciptible to EM interference from these devices? Ok a cellphone I can *kind* of understand (but even then I read a certain airline is going to allow their use..in flight!)

Yet YouTube is filled to the rafters with vids not just from the passenger cabin but from the flight deck - DURING takeoff and landing. A lot of these are taken by ordinary folks who managed to snag a jumpseat ride (yes its possible to do this in parts of the world) I sure as heck didnt see the cockpit displays go blank and the flight computers crash when the camcorder began recording :p

Im due to fly again soon...will have G9 out again and see what happens muahaaa.

For many people who dont fly often - the flight ITSELF is a treat and an adventure and they wanna record it. I think they need to ease up on us lol. And man Ive been told off by some grumpy FAs. I know they are just doing their job - but judging by the thousands of vids on YT - their colleagues on some other airlines dont care!
 
Last edited:
General caution re: safety when it comes to aircraft probably - some electronic devices could interfere so simple solution is to blanket ban all electronic devices during take off/landing.
 
Someone recently told me that it's just to keep passengers focussed in case there is an accident during take-off or landing, and nothing to do with electronic interference.

Could be wrong, though. I'm not really that bothered to find out if it's true.
 
There's probably two separate questions here

  • Why is YouTube full of people who can't follow simple instructions (or think that those instructions don't apply to them)?
  • Will using electronic equipment affect the aeroplane?
The answer to the first is that I have no idea but reading the comments section for many videos is eye-opening in itself.
The answer to the second is that it almost certainly will not but it's a risk they don't need to take so they tend to request that all electronic devices are switched off. Generally I'm happy enough that they don't allow such things, the last thing I want is people using their mobile phones on flights as it's bad enough on trains.
 
semi-pro waster said:
There's probably two separate questions here

  • Why is YouTube full of people who can't follow simple instructions (or think that those instructions don't apply to them)?
  • Will using electronic equipment affect the aeroplane?
The answer to the first is that I have no idea but reading the comments section for many videos is eye-opening in itself.
The answer to the second is that it almost certainly will not but it's a risk they don't need to take so they tend to request that all electronic devices are switched off. Generally I'm happy enough that they don't allow such things, the last thing I want is people using their mobile phones on flights as it's bad enough on trains.
Click to expand...

and /end thread. :D

I'm always happy to switch off my mobile, I'm not gonna have signal over the atlantic anyways. My camera is stuffed in the carryon which is climbing over several seats away and I fly too much to make every single one a moment to cherish. People should get on planes and be given sleeping pills! It would be an easier way to pass a few hours despite the obvious safety issues.
 
It’s fairly obvious that your camera will take over control and make the plane crash. Everyone knows that. :p Seriously it’s not worth getting wound up about. Next time be a hero and tell them to FO and keep recording. You’ll end up with a very interesting film. :D
 
Why is YouTube full of people who can't follow simple instructions (or think that those instructions don't apply to them)?
Click to expand...

That is a fair point, I agree. But when you see vids shot in the cockpit of an airliner (knowing that behind the cameraman are 300 passengers) then you begin to wonder if there is a fuss. After all you cannot plonk yourself in a jumpseat and start filming without the green light from the Captain. So I guess he/she knows it aint a big deal..?

 
Reminds me of the mobile phones at petrol stations.

Few weeks ago I was next to a couple of young guys at a petrol station, the one in the passenger seat was on his phone while his mate filled up and some older guy comes charging towards him screaming about he's going to kill us all :rolleyes: I imagine similar things can happen on a flight.
 
gambitt said:
Reminds me of the mobile phones at petrol stations.

Few weeks ago I was next to a couple of young guys at a petrol station, the one in the passenger seat was on his phone while his mate filled up and some older guy comes charging towards him screaming about he's going to kill us all :rolleyes: I imagine similar things can happen on a flight.
Click to expand...

The petrol station attendants demanding people hang up when using their phone at a petrol station annoy me the most.

I can't make a call, but it's fine if the phones in my pocket doing all sorts on the internet :D
 
In terms of whether it will affect the plane... Let's not take the chance, eh? Is it really that exciting to film the take off or landing?

The mobile phone thing at petrol stations is considerably sillier. That being said, I do recall once seeing a petrol station attendant going absolutely mental at someone who was trying to jump start a car right by a petrol pump... That made more sense.
 
Vonhelmet said:
The mobile phone thing at petrol stations is considerably sillier. That being said, I do recall once seeing a petrol station attendant going absolutely mental at someone who was trying to jump start a car right by a petrol pump... That made more sense.
Click to expand...

Last time I stopped in a petrol station my sister was smoking in the back and had her window open. I asked her to put it out and she replied why should I. :D
 
If mobile phones had any chance of taking down planes, they would be banned. When I spoke to a pilot, he said its about ensuring people are attentive at take off and landing; that is also why you get told to stop listening to music.
 
dowie said:
General caution re: safety when it comes to aircraft probably - some electronic devices could interfere so simple solution is to blanket ban all electronic devices during take off/landing.
Click to expand...

If having a mobile phone or camera on during take off or landing could actually interfere with the aircraft on any level, you wouldn't just be told to turn them off, you'd have the batteries removed by security way before you get on the plane.

Edit. Should probably read the last post in the thread first.
 
simulatorman said:
Last time I stopped in a petrol station my sister was smoking in the back and had her window open. I asked her to put it out and she replied why should I. :D
Click to expand...

AFAIK it actually takes a naked flame to ignite petrol, the glowing end of a cigarette can not do this, correct me if i'm wrong though :)
 
I remember reading a newspaper report of a journalist getting on airforce 1. She ended the article stating as the plane took off everyone was on their blackberries.
 
ghost101 said:
If mobile phones had any chance of taking down planes, they would be banned. When I spoke to a pilot, he said its about ensuring people are attentive at take off and landing; that is also why you get told to stop listening to music.
Click to expand...

That ties in with what i've heard in the past.
IIRC it's also why they prefer you to have your shoes on during landing (so in an emergency you can get out faster), and why they change the lighting etc.


With mobiles/wireless networking I think the reason they've not been allowed to be "transmitting" is because in the air industry they tend to take the "better safe than sorry" approach, and because they can't afford to test every mobile phone/wireless device with every model of aircraft, and every bit of equipment ever used in them, they usually have a blanket ban on them being active, at least during takeoff and landing when the aircraft is at it's most vulnerable.
A fairly good approach given how bad the interference given out by some cheap devices is (IIRC there are a lot of cheap wireless devices that put out "noise" in other frequency ranges).
 
All the equipment is ray shielded anyway I thought - else all the electromagnetic radiation that's all around us would affect the systems surely?

I don't think it has anything to do with interference, but to ensure people are aware of any emergency instructions that are ordered in case of emergencies.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom