From: smb@research.att.com
Date: Fri, 14 May 93 12:07:30 PDT
To: Craig Nottingham <cnotting@cosmos.gmu.edu>
Subject: Re: Navigation Prblems and Laptops...
Message-ID: <9305141907.AA19079@toad.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


	 There are NO documented reports of malfunction of navigational
	 or other instruments on aircraft due to personal electronic
	 devices.  The FAA has done studies and conducted
	 investigations and they do not have a singledocumented case of
	 interfence.  (Lovely what you can learn from TV thses days)

According to one report (in the NY Times, I believe), SwissAir reports
one incident where the apparent interference not only stopped when
electronic devices were turned off, it resumed when the pilot gave
permission for people to start using them again.

``Documented'' is the wrong word.  There have been plenty of cases of
trouble attributed to electromagnetic interference; what's lacking is
controlled studies that demonstrate an effect, as opposed to anecdotal
evidence from the pilots of various aircraft.