LakeCumberlandBoaters.com

Plenty of people disregard orders to turn off phones and electronic devices during takeoff and landing -- just put the Game Boy face down on your lap when the flight attendant walks by and pick it up a moment later.

It turns out these people really are risking a plane crash, according to an industry investigation shared with ABC News.

Pilots and engineers have identified 75 incidents which may be linked to signal interference from passengers. Among them: "Autopilot disengaged by itself," "left GPS is not reading correctly," and "rapid changes in cabin altitude and altitude control."

Boeing engineer David Carson says interference occurs when signals hit highly sensitive electronic sensors hidden in the passenger area. These sensors are particularly vulnerable in old planes.

As proof Carson took reporters from ABC into a test chamber. When phones were turned on, signal interference registered above safe levels.



Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/cell-pho ... z1OtU4ngNC

But when I think about that is scares me MORE that they rely on phones to be off since signals can come from anywhere. What do they do when they pass over certain towers etc?

What's also scary is they ask you to turn off your cell phone at the hospital in case of interference, ordinary people with cell phones shouldn't have this kind of power.

true, where I am the walls are lead lined where it counts to my knowledge.

pappaw still won't turn his off and argued with me even while watching this show!! If your plane goes down, blame it on an old fart who just refuses to believe anything (knows they're always right )(well, excluding political rumors, lol )

They said it was low altitude calls. Over 4500' there is no signal. I don't turn it off but do not use it either. What I heard was that the interferance was at low altitude and folks were using them (talking on them). Once they quit, the problem was solved.