Flight Crews Say Cell Phones Cause Interference

Bethany Whitfield

Thursday, June 16, 2011 at 12:25 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

A confidential IATA report detailed 75 incidents (2003-2009) where flight crews attributed electronic interference, affecting flight controls, navigation, and communications, to personal electronic devices, primarily cell phones.
Despite some skepticism viewing the report as anecdotal, industry experts and electronic testing confirm that signals from modern devices like iPhones, Blackberries, and iPads can exceed limits deemed appropriate for aircraft.
A 2006 Carnegie Mellon study independently found that cell phones can cause interference aboard airplanes, particularly with GPS receivers when multiple devices are communicating simultaneously.

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Cell phones and other mobile devices really do cause a certain amount of electronic interference during flight, some crew members contend in a confidential industry report conducted by the International Air Transport Association and obtained by ABC News.** **

The report details 75 incidences of electronic interference during passenger and cargo airline flights between 2003 and 2009 that have been attributed to personal electronic devices by crew members on board. Of the 75 separate events, 26 affected flight controls, 17 affected navigation systems and 15 affected communications systems.