Reconsidering the Ban on Inflight Communications: An American Perspective

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Reconsidering the Ban on In-flight
CommunicationsAn American Perspective
Consulting on wireless technology and policy
In-Transport Communications London April 2006

• Michael J. Marcus, Sc.D., FIEEE
• Director
• Marcus Spectrum Solutions, Paris, France
• mjmarcus_at_alum.mit.edu
• www.marcus-spectrum.com

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Timely Topic

• March 2006 IEEE Spectrum feature article
  editorial received coverage in popular media
• Rather one sided
• Some in US aviation community seem interested in
  the blame game

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The Government Players in USA

• Federal Communications Commission
• Independent agency, but highly politicized on
  some issues
• Jurisdiction similar to Ofcom
• Federal Aviation Agency
• Executive branch agency
• Entrenched staff strongly influenced by airlines
• Different tradition of administrative law than
  FCC

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The Government Players in USA

• Even though FCC and FAA have overlapping
  jurisdictions there is a long history of
• Mutual mistrust
• Organizational culture differences
• Confrontation
• Personality conflicts between key players at each
  agency
• De-escalation in early 1990s led to mutually
  agreeable approach to FM/ILS EMI problem
• Without further top management attention, DTV/GPS
  and UWB issues later brought back old conflicts

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Reality

• People use cell phones in aircraft today
  throughout flight
• Despite laws, regulations, and warnings
• Many PEDs have modes where intentional
  transmitters are active, at least intermittently,
  and user may not be aware

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What is a PED after all?
RTCA Paper No. 019-06/SC202-099 ENRI Japan
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FAA PositionOctober 2000 AC No 91.21-1A

• Regulation, 14 CFR 91.14, gives discretion to
  carrier
• But Circular is more rigid
• Cell phone may be use(d) at the gate or during
  an extended wait on the ground, while awaiting a
  gate, when specifically authorized by the
  captain.
• A cellular telephone will not be authorized for
  use while the aircraft is being taxied for
  departure after leaving the gate.

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FAA Position 1

• Currently there are no FAA regulations requiring
  the air transport aircraft certification
  applicant to address the immunity of airplane
  systems to T-PEDs

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FAA Position 2

• The applicant, in showing compliance with
  25.1309, 25.1353 and 25.1431 for Part 25
  aircraft, must also address the RF environment
  created by the operation of T-PEDs within the
  aircraft
• The electromagnetic interference (EMI) test plans
  for the certification of the applicant
  airplane,must include tests to insure that the
  critical, essential and required systems of the
  aircraft perform their intended functions in the
  presence of RF environment created by T-PEDs.

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FAA Observations

• NASA AviationSafety Report System (ASRS) reports
  and recent research by Carnegie-Mellon University
  indicate that operation of T-PEDs during
  transport airplane operation is common.
• Tests performed by airlines to support their
  policy for mobile phone use during taxi-in showed
  a number of systems on certain airplane models
  were susceptible to mobile phone interference.

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Present FCC Policy

• Airborne use forbidden for 800 MHz cell phones
  and SMRs (e.g. Nextel)
• But implicitly allowed for PCS
• The Commissions restrictions on the airborne
  use of wireless handsets stem from the potential
  that unwanted emissions could cause harmful
  interference to terrestrial-based systems.
• Any steps we ultimately take will leave the use
  of personal electronic devices (including
  cellular and other wireless handsets) aboard
  aircraft subject to the rules and policies of the
  FAA and aircraft operators.

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FCC Proposals

• December 2004, FCC proposes allowing cell phone
  use on aircraft equiped with picocells that
  would force APC to minimal power

http//hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/
FCC-04-288A1.pdf
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Demonstrations
Concept has been successfully demonstrated by
Qualcomm and AeroMobile
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Problems
http//gullfoss2.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/websql/prod/ecfs/
comsrch_v2.hts?ws_moderetrieve_listid_proceeding
04-435
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Problems

• FCC proposal resulted in 8000 public comments
• Most from airline passengers opposed to others
  using cell phones

Vox populi, vox dei?
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2/10/06 RTCA Meeting

• FAA representative reported that the FAA
  continues to develop Issue Papers regarding use
  of T-PEDs on aircraft mostly on WLAN
  installations.
• He also stated the his division of the FAA is
  interested in starting work within SC-202 on
  developing guidance for design and manufacture of
  future aircraft that have T-PED immunity to
  aircraft com/nav systems.

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CEA Activity
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CEA Activity
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Wi-Fi in a/c

• FAA has certificated system in conjunction with
  Boeing Connexion service

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Forecasting when the ban on in-flight
communications will be liftedRequest from
Conference Organizer

• Wi-Fi issue is already basically resolved
  although some consideration is needed for each
  type of aircraft
• Cell phone issue is harder
• Unlikely to be resolved any sooner than return of
  troops from Iraq
• FCC likely to remove its prohibitions soon but
  defer to FAA on final overall decision