Is It Ok To Fly With A Gps

[+Lostby7]

I know I have to reset my altimeter in my watch after a flight, is that also the case with a GPS?

[+º]

no - but you should ask the airline if it's allowed to used a GPSr if you don't want to get into trouble

[Neo_Geo]

If you're flying in an airliner with a pressurized cabin, then your altimeter will be off by about 30,000 feet. Airliner cabins are pressurized to 5,000 feet.

 

Also see the following threads:

 

Taking GPS on commercial airplane

Personal GPS on Commercial Flights

Gps In Aviation

Gps On Airliners, Using GPS on a Plane

60c In The Plane..nice

[+Lostby7]

If you're flying in an airliner with a pressurized cabin, then your altimeter will be off by about 30,000 feet. Airliner cabins are pressurized to 5,000 feet.

 

Also see the following threads:

 

Taking GPS on commercial airplane

Personal GPS on Commercial Flights

Gps In Aviation

Gps On Airliners, Using GPS on a Plane

60c In The Plane..nice

Sweet thanks for doing the work for me.

(I apologize for my lack of researching)

[+Criminal]

If you're flying in an airliner with a pressurized cabin, then your altimeter will be off by about 30,000 feet.  Airliner cabins are pressurized to 5,000 feet.

 

Not exactly, the cabin is pressurized to a specific differential pressure, not to a specific altitude. (The Starlifter pressurized to 8.3PSID, for example) Thus the cabin can be anywhere between sea level and 5000’ or so, depending on the altitude of the aircraft.

 

Your altitude displayed on the GPSr will be pretty accurate unless you have a sensor model, then it will display the cabin altitude.

Edited November 10, 2004 by Criminal

[DavidBethany]

Each airline is different. On my recent trip to MN on Airtran, they specifically prohibited GPS while on the return trip, Delta had no specific mention for GPS so it fell in the same category as other electronic devices. I used to ask the pilot, not the crew, when boarding and if they said yes, the crew would not interfere. But that was before...

 

GPS works great on commercial flights if you get a windo seat and it allows you to observe some interesting things like: Speed the plane leaves the ground and lands, about 170 MPH. Actual altitude and know when the pilot starts down. It is a lot sooner than you think. They usually spend a great deal of time in a slow climb, leveling off at some mid-point, then throttle back a little in a slow descent, maintaining the same speed. You may see speeds in flight at close to 600 mph if you get a good tail wind, especially Eastbound. Your own ETA (add about 10 minutes for manuvering to land and you will be pretty close). You will know what cities you are over so you should know the rivers and other features. Also, you can plot the whole trip on your computer when you get home and color code the track line by speed. Load the track on your next flight to the same place and compare.

 

As for altitude. Assuming your GPS reads GPS altitude, and not altitude derived from air pressure, the reading will usually differ from the what the pilot reports by about 300', maybe more. Pilots fly at "Pressure" altitudes, not "true altitude" above 18,000 feet. Above 18,000 feet, the requirement is to set the altimeter pressure reading to a standard median of 29.92" and not the real pressure. That way, all planes are at the same level for any reported altitiude, regardless of how accurate or true. The importance of flying an altitude assigned by air traffic control - called "flight level" as in flight level 330 for 33,000 feet - is to maintain vertical separation from other air traffic. Once safely above any possible contact with the ground, or mountains (cumulus granite) the real altitude, or even height above ground, is not so important. So as commercial aircraft fly from higher pressure areas to lower, the altimeters would show higher altitudes if they really stayed at the same level, but they don't. They all descend to maintain the same pressure altitude as the outside pressure decreases.

 

This means they are not flying the "real" altitude, which can be easily computed from a GPS, or by setting the altimeter to the real-time pressure reading of a ground station below, but that is not important. These rules were in place long before GPS. Flying at speeds around 8 miles a minute, a pilot would need to set and re-set the altimeter about every 5-10 minutes to have the correct reading. So they all fly at the wrong altitude (most of the time) and it works just fine.

 

So when the pilot says you are now level at 33,000, you may see a different reading but it will remain constant for all the time you are level. Unless he is fibbing a little, as they are known to do.

 

More trivia: "cabin pressure" is, by law, no higher than 8,000 feet. In other words, the cabin is pressurized to the same or more pressure than you would experience at 8,000 feet so we can all get oxygen in our blood when we breath. If the cabin pressure is breached, put that mask on quick and expect a wild emergency dive to below 10,000 feet.

 

David

[Blue Contrails]

Sure, as long as you've got wings.

 

But seriously, you might want to try the "search" feature on this website.

 

Here's how I do it: Upon boarding the aircraft if the captain or one of the senior officers is at the door I usually ask if it's ok to use my personal GPSr at cruise altitude.

Edited November 11, 2004 by Blue Contrails

[+Lostby7]

Sure, as long as you've got wings.

 

But seriously, you might want to try the "search" feature on this website.

 

Here's how I do it: Upon boarding the aircraft if the captain or one of the senior officers is at the door I usually ask if it's ok to use my personal GPSr at cruise altitude.

I made that apology three posts up.

The search function has it limitations though, as I would rather get answers through dialog and the people who posted originally may not be around anymore to ask questions from.....I know it is irritating for people to see the same questions asked time and again......

[tubemonkey]

I know it is irritating for people to see the same questions asked time and again......

I, for one, don't find it irritating. It's always nice to bring up old topics for fresh input. Besides, no one is forcing anyone to look at threads they choose not to.

[+Sputnik 57]

Airlines that do permit it (Southwest is one) only do so after the "it is now okay to use portable electronic devices" announcement. I stuck mine in my briefcase but failed to switch it off on a recent flight to Dallas. I pulled it out mid flight, and got scolded by the flight attendant. She said that (someone in the cockpit) told her that a GPSr was on during take off.

 

I don't know how a receiver interferes with aviation equipment, but apparently it does, and was obvious to those piloting the plane.

[+Night Stalker]

I have asked Delta pilots several times and been turned down. It shouldn't interfere with the electronics on an airplane since they are also using a GPS up front. I assume it just part of the terrorist histeria since 9/11.

[peter]

I have asked Delta pilots several times and been turned down. It shouldn't interfere with the electronics on an airplane since they are also using a GPS up front. I assume it just part of the terrorist histeria since 9/11.

I'm somewhat surprised about your experience on Delta since they are usually 'GPS-friendly' and are one of the airlines on the list at

http://www.gpsinformation.net/airgps/airgps.htm that officially allows passenger use of GPS receivers when above 10 kft.

 

Surprisingly I've seen little change in the airline policies toward GPS following 9/11. The list referenced above hasn't changed much from what it was before that attack although some airlines have become more restrictive (incl. Britannia) while others have moved to allow them (incl. Northwest). A few airlines have switched back and forth several times in their policy, but it's been hard to see any overall trend or correlation with national concerns over terrorism.

 

PS I think someone was pulling Sputnik's leg on his flight.

[+R4D4R]

i took my GPS on a Delta flight last week and didnt have a problem. The plane was quite empty so I was able to get a window seat each way. The Meridian unit I had woudlnt pick up a signal unless it was directly against the window though. It was cool to keep track of your route, elevation, speed and the like along the way.

[+Criminal]

I have asked Delta pilots several times and been turned down.  It shouldn't interfere with the electronics on an airplane since they are also using a GPS up front.  I assume it just part of the terrorist histeria since 9/11.

I'm somewhat surprised about your experience on Delta since they are usually 'GPS-friendly' and are one of the airlines on the list at

http://www.gpsinformation.net/airgps/airgps.htm that officially allows passenger use of GPS receivers when above 10 kft.

 

Surprisingly I've seen little change in the airline policies toward GPS following 9/11. The list referenced above hasn't changed much from what it was before that attack although some airlines have become more restrictive (incl. Britannia) while others have moved to allow them (incl. Northwest). A few airlines have switched back and forth several times in their policy, but it's been hard to see any overall trend or correlation with national concerns over terrorism.

 

PS I think someone was pulling Sputnik's leg on his flight.

See what happens when you ask a question that didn't need asking? No is easier to say than it is to know company policy.

 

If you just use it, the worst thing they will do is ask you politely to turn it off.

[+Jabba]

I've used my GPS on several flights my wife is always amazed that I can sit there for hours and look out the window and the various GPS screens. Its good to know about the list provided of GPS friendly airlines and about asking the Pilots. I just usually keep it behind a news paper during preflight/takeoff/landing to avoid the flight attendents and then have never worried much about while at cruising altitude.

[+geoSquid]

no - but you should ask the airline if it's allowed to used a GPSr if you don't want to get into trouble

I fly all the time and I've never been asked to not use my GPS.

 

In fact, on some occasions I've had interesting things happen:

 

- On a flight between Ottawa and Chicago, the stewardess took my GPS to the pilot for approval who returned it and asked that I push the "call button when the plane reached 400kt. A few moments later, the plane's engines quite audibly revved up and we accelerated. At 400kt, I pushed the button and the pilot throttled back

 

- On a flight from Miami to Caracas, the pilot gave me the list of waypoints for the journey.

 

- On a flight from Toronto to Ottawa I was the only passenger in business class and the stewardess wanted to know all about GPS and navigation and sat with me for the trip playing with my unit.

 

- On a flight from Newark to Ottawa the pilot noticed I had a GPS and said out loud that he was glad at least someone on the plane would know where we were going

[+Jabba]

WoW I wish a stewardess would play with my unit sometime.

[BilgeRat]

- On a flight from Newark to Ottawa the pilot noticed I had a GPS and said out loud that he was glad at least someone on the plane would know where we were going

 

Ahh, pilot humor!

Tom

[+Wacka]

For those passing through O'Hare in Chicago, there is a virtual cache in the United terminal (ORD Layover).

[Kermode]

Hey geosquid Id be happy too if I was the only one in business class and a flight attendant sat with me the whole flight and played with my unit.

Did you have to pay extra for that or just give her a tip.(money tip that is)

But on second thought maybe it wasnt alll that great . He didnt mention if the flight attendant was male or female. Well, what ever gender they were,sounds like it was a good flight for geosquid.

 

I am also commenting aon the comment someone left about asking the pilot or flight crew at the door of the aircraft if its alright to use GPS.

Hey if you got that far why in the world would you ask them there. If you made it through check in then throug hall the gates and xray why in the world would you ask them when you were on the plane. Once you got that far your home free.

Edited November 17, 2004 by Kermode