Taking GPS on commercial airplane

[+ArnoldA]

I just got notified today that I will be flying to Puerto Rico on Sunday. My question is can you take a GPS on the aircraft, in this cse American Airlines, I don't care about using it on the AC, just want to take it so I can Geocache when I get there. Thanks

[appletree]

If it can't explode and isn't sharp or pointed, you can probably take it on a plane, if it will fit under a seat or in an overhead compartment. All rules about PEDs concern use.

[+mrp]

What appletree said is correct, but given the new security rules (err.. "advisories") just released last week, you probably want to make sure you have fresh/fully charged batteries, so that you can turn the unit on and show that it's operational.

 

-- Pneumatic

 

[This message was edited by Pneumatic on August 10, 2003 at 10:47 AM.]

[+garmini]

I just made a flight on Delta this last week. I took my 76S along and and external antenna w/suction cup mount. I didn't get any flak at all from either airport security or the flight crew.

 

It worked great. I was able to get really good satellite reception up there, about 8 ft accuracy in 3D differential mode. Having the external antenna was nice because I didn't have to hold the unit up against the window. My family took up the entire row and we were able to pass the unit around and watch our progress.

 

I was interested to see that the barometric altimiter showed an elevation of about 6500 ft at cruising altitiude. I think that means that the cabin is pressurized to that altitude. Does that sound about right?

[Neo_Geo]

Yup - the barometric altimeter showed cabin pressure altitude. Do units that have a barometric altimiter have the ability to switch to GPS elevation or display it separately?

[jkbostic]

American Airlines

 

On a trip to London Gatwick prior to 9/11 happening and all the enhanced security, I fired up out my Etrex Vista midflight. It was very tough to get satellite lock, and I had a window seat. I managed to get a few signals and get poor accuracy, but enough to start calculating speeds. It was very cool until a flight attendent came to me and kindly instructed me to turn my cell phone off.

 

My explanation of the fact that it is not a cell phone but a GPS only made the flight attendent more uneasy. I tried to explain that it is passive in its use, and does not transmit anything and that the plane uses the same technology itself, but he wasn't buying any of that.

 

There were no threats to take it away from me - just to simply turn it off, so I turned it off and put it away. I was very obvious with my use of it since I had to get it as close to the window in order to get some type of signal, so it didn't make any passengers uneasy about its use, but it was also prior to 9/11. There is a lot more sensitivity and awareness to strange goings on that would make me feel more uncomfortable about using it now.

 

Also, as much as I wanted to record the takeoff and landing on the GPS's log, I did respect the not electronic devices rule during landing and takeoff.

[+Cool Cache Gang]

This is the link to the Transportation Security Administration web page listing permited and prohibited items.

http://www.tsa.gov/public/interapp/tsa_policy/tsa_policy_0010.xml

 

I do not see GPS units listed at all.

 

CCG

[+GroovyGuru]

The TSA only lists what is permitted to be carryied-on and was is permitted to be checked. This does NOT list was is permitted to be turned on.

 

It also quotes: "Check with your airline or travel agent for restrictions on the use of these and other electronic items during your flight."

 

The best policy is to ask the pilot upon boarding the plane (the stewards don't also know, and may simply respond "no").

[+blindleader]

quote:

---

I tried to explain that it is passive in its use, and does not transmit anything...

---

That isn't correct at all. There is no such thing as a non-transmitting electronic device. That goes for lap-tops, PDAs, Gameboys, Calculators.... and GPSRs.

[+elmo-fried]

The following is directly from the FAA web site as of today.  Reading this it would appear it is up to the discretion of the carrier/pilot.<BR><BR>This does not make sense to me because if a PED effects the electronics in a Boeing 737-300 it should not matter if the 737-300 is flying for American, Delta or United. <BR><BR><BR><A HREF="http://www2.faa.gov/avr/afs/cabinsafety/FAR's/91-21.rtf" TARGET=_blank>http://www2.faa.gov/avr/afs/cabinsafety/FAR's/91-21.rtf</a><BR><BR>Through the fish-eye lens of tear stained eyes, I can barely define this moment in time...That is until I bought a GPSR.

 

The URL is pretty vague, IMHO:

 

http://www2.faa.gov/avr/afs/cabinsafety/FAR's/91-21.rtf

 

§ 91.21  Portable electronic devices.

 

(a) Except as provided in paragraph ( of this section, no person may operate, nor may any operator or pilot in command of an aircraft allow the operation of, any portable electronic device on any of the following U.S.-registered civil aircraft:

 

(1) Aircraft operated by a holder of an air carrier operating certificate or an operating certificate; or

 

(2) Any other aircraft while it is operated under IFR.

 

( Paragraph (a) of this section does not apply to -

 

(1) Portable voice recorders;

 

(2) Hearing aids;

 

(3) Heart pacemakers;

 

(4) Electric shavers; or

 

(5) Any other portable electronic device that the operator of the aircraft has determined will not cause interference with the navigation or communication system of the aircraft on which it is to be used.

 

( c ) In the case of an aircraft operated by a holder of an air carrier operating certificate or an operating certificate, the determination required by paragraph ((5) of this section shall be made by that operator of the aircraft on which the particular device is to be used. In the case of other aircraft, the determination may be made by the pilot in command or other operator of the aircraft.

 

So basically, they say the ban doesn't apply to (b)1-4, and everything else falls under an "if" in section 5 and is dependant on the operator (airline) or if it's not a carrier then the pilot.

 

In other words the airline can say what causes interference or not and ban it, end of story.

[+timberlane74 & pumpkin]

I had the opportunity to chat with an AA 777 Captain for a couple of hours on my way home from DFW yesterday...I couldn't resist asking him why AA was dead set against any GPS use on board ....he's on a pilot-management committee and gets to "hear" more than the ordinary guy...his IMMEDIATE reply was that frankly the airline was getting fed up with calls from GPS users on-board that planes were off-course...at the wrong altitude etc and just didn't want to be bothered...if the pilot announced routing of X-Y-Z and then they were cleared direct...of course they may not take the announced flightpath...when I queried him how many calls management was receiving,,he said that at their meeting in 2002, prior to putting the stop...it was 50-75 calls/emails to the FAA per month...different reason then I've ever heard before...