IP: Bluetooth risks airline safety?: [risks] Risks Digest 21.38

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

> Date: Tue, 08 May 2001 12:43:52 +1000
> From: Tom Worthington <tom.worthington () tomw net au>
> Subject: Bluetooth risks airline safety?
>
> An advertisement by Toshiba in the Australian Financial Review Monday 7 May
> 2001 (page 10: "Portege 3490 with Bluetooth - always ready to network")
> suggests that Toshiba laptops can be routinely carried on aircraft switched
> on, with Bluetooth devices transmitting:
>
> > "Imagine two strangers, each carrying Bluetooth-enabled Portege 3490s ...
> > In a fraction of a second the Bluetooth module within each detects the
> > presence of the other. ... And complete strangers can start playing chess
> > together on long flights"
>
> Apart from being misleading as laptop computers are not designed to be left
> on while being carried, this appears at odds with routine airline practice
> requiring electronic devices to be switched off during take-off. The use of
> radio transmitters by passengers is usually prohibited at any time on an
> airline. This is discussed in the Draft Advisory Circular AC 91.22 (0),
> FEBRUARY 2000, "PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICES" from the Australian Civil
> Aviation Safety Authority:
>   http://www.casa.gov.au/prod/avreg/newrules/download/ac/091%5F22.pdf
>
> In practice, Bluetooth's very low-power spread-spectrum transmitter would be
> unlikely to cause interference to an aircraft's systems. However, it would
> be unwise to encourage Bluetooth's use on airlines until this is accepted by
> airline safety authorities.
>
> PS: It is possible to use a transmitter in some aircraft. Particularly when
> it is a hot air balloon over Parliment and you have a Senator assisting
> you: http://www.tomw.net.au/nt/balloon.html
>
> PPS: More on wireless: http://www.tomw.net.au/2001/wwgw.html
>
> Tom Worthington FACS; Director, Tomw Communications Pty Ltd ABN: 17 088 
> 714 309
> http://www.tomw.net.au; Vis.Prof AustralianNatlUniversity; Austrl. 
> Computer Soc



For archives see: http://www.interesting-people.org/