Re: How do I log on while in flight?

["Stephen Sprunk" <ssprunk () cisco com>]

Thus spake "Keith Woodworth" <kwoody () citytel net>
> A slight addition to this (maybe OT) thread but my wife was being
> medivac'd on a small jet to a larger medical facility a few years ago, one
> of the medical fellows on board used his cell phone a couple of times on
> board while in flight. I asked him about that and he said it was no
> problem and he said there was no restriction as far as he knew.  As long
> as there was service he could use the phone. It was a big clunky Motorola
> brick phone.

"as far as he knew" -- You really think a paramedic (who just happens to be in a
helo that day) knows the intricacies of cellular telephone regulations and how
they change when airborne?  I think he's a bit more concerned about how to keep
his patients alive.

> But the plane/medivac is part of the provincial ambulance service so
> rules might be different in this case, compared to commercial aviation.

"Lifeguard" flights get priority treatment by ATC, but they are not specifically
exempted from any aviation or radio regulations.

That said, both the aviation and radio regulations have blanket exemptions for
any otherwise prohibited activity which is necessary for the preservation of
life.  This means that if someone's life is in danger, be it yours or a medivac
patient's, anything reasonable goes.

S