More On Gadgets

The June 2013 edition of Aviation Safety arrived today. In Unicom, there is a question about gadget legality. You correctly quote FAR 91.21 (technically, 14 CFR 91.21) as saying that PEDs are legal on all non-commercial VFR flights and that the pilot in command makes the determination in non-commercial IFR operations. But more than one federal agency makes rules about electronics. The Federal Communication Commission makes a very clear statement prohibiting cellular telephone use aboard airborne aircraft. 47 CFR 22.925 states: “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).

Key Takeaways:

• Despite common misconceptions from FAR 91.21, FCC rule 47 CFR 22.925 explicitly prohibits cellular telephone operation on airborne aircraft, requiring them to be turned off.
• When approaching unfamiliar airports, pilots are advised to use their HSI or DG to set the runway heading as a procedure to ensure correct runway alignment and prevent confusion.
• While online resources are available, calling Flight Service for a standard briefing is recommended as a highly effective method for pilots to thoroughly process critical IFR weather information through one-on-one discussion.

Key takeaways sponsored by Aviator Pro | Start Your Training ->

See a mistake? Contact us.