You're entitled to think whatever you want about my intentions here but I was able to get information regarding that situation even here in my cave, under the ocean.

In fact they had passengers on CNN the same day, in studio no less, giving first hand accounts.

I'm not asking any questions, I'm not looking for any info...just stating that the discussion is useful and informative. I'll gladly read into it elsewhere if you provide a link. The media has ADHD...not a word is mentioned anymore nor written anywhere, with the exception of the Buffalo News, but again, it's not like there's pilots working in their newsrooms.

Well actually, maybe I do have ONE question...come to think about it, while I have your attention, will turning my cell phone on in flight really cause us to get lost? ;)

*insert stickpoke smilie here*

You know the da-dit-da-dit buzzing sound you hear sometimes over a TV with bad reception? That's the sound your cell phone makes over our cockpit headphones while it tries to acquire a signal. It is an annoying distraction to the crew and a safety hazard. There are very few frivolous rules in aviation every single one of them are written to protect you the flying public.

or when you are near your computer speakers and you hear that buzzing seconds prior to your cell phone ringing. Why would anyone want to take a risk, sometimes rules/laws seem to make no sense, however during one of these events, we could possibly miss a radio call to "turn left immediately 270, climb and maintain 10000.

actually the NO CELL PHONE is not an FAA regulation, it is an FCC one..............

I won't tell you what it does to the aircraft. Get hired at an airline and let them tell you.

I will tell you we know when you turn them on and we know if you left them on.

The authorities can, thanks to the patriot act, find out who you are.

Y'all be careful...

One drink probably wouldn't cause us to "get lost" either, but I doubt my passengers want me to take that chance.

Being 50 FEET left or right of course is the difference between landing on the centerline and the ditch. So is your phone call so important that YOU want to take a chance?

Amen, I agree totally, holy batsuit batman, I think this is the first time that ImEbee and I agree on somthing...I kid...;) Just be careful guys and girls, being under the microscope is nothing new to our profession...

Yeah, and for some reason whenever we hear that The Capt always asks, Did you turn your phone off...lol. Its a pretty dead giveaway that someone in the back has one on. And this statment is true, missing a call could cause a serious problem if there were a traffic conflict, so please, if your in the back, follow the regs and just dont take the risk. Turn it off

Geez guys he never says it was a Colgan Q he flew on. For all you know it was a charter :D

way to read waay to far into a post!

Sort of...

The FAA forbids the use of electronic devices below 10,000 for safety reasons.

The FCC forbids the use of cell phones in flight (any altitude) because your phone will have good line-of-sight to multiple cell towers, and it confuses the cell system when it has to decide which cell tower you are nearest to. Then when it does figure it out, the aircraft speed over ground changes the geometry again.