Hi all, This week's poll question is about whether or not the FAA should allow cell phone usage on planes. Discuss here whether you think this is necessary, and, if you like, the poll results themselves. Thanks! Justin

Safety issues aside, can't help but wonder what 300-500 people in a confined space sound like when all are yapping on their cell phones? Skip

You can't? Never been to a bar, nightclub or dance club? LOL If it's safe, why not? I always thought having us shut our cells off for takeoff and landing was a safety issue. If there is no issue, then it makes sense to let people use them. As I said above, a room full of talking people makes me pretty much deaf and I expect it even when traveling on an airplane so I always bring along a good book to escape into.

I hope not 'cause I don't really want to overhear someone's conversation about an upcoming hernia operation for several hours. I would consider that noise pollution. If they do allow it, then it's time to buy stock in noise-cancellation headphone manufacturers.

Just makes me wonder how many mid air colisions we will be able to atribute to the pilot yakking instead of paying attention to what he is doing. I would rather not fly as it is this is just one more reason for me not too. Likely Practice makes perfect but only if you practice perfectly!

Hey fellas I just wanted to pipe up and say that, as an avionics/RF engineer for a while (I'm retired -- 58 today) there's a bit of history behind all the fuss about PSPs, Laptops, cellphones, etc. being powered on during aircraft take off/landing. Since the beginnings of WWII, most aircraft with an achievable ceiling of 24,000 feet used a frequency of 400Hz in the electrical distribution circuits -- as opposed to the 50/

"Since the beginnings of WWII, most aircraft with an achievable ceiling of 24,000 feet used a frequency of 400Hz in the electrical distribution circuits -- as opposed to the 50/" Matching/overlapping fsb causing signal degradation in ILS has been discussed for years. Not to mention COMM. interference. TMK, both circumstances have only presented themselves when certain atmospheric anomalies are present. Anomalies that would ground the aircraft or divert it to an alternate landing site. ("Turn off the phone or we're landing in Toledo", I Iike it) Don't misinterpret this, I am not an advocate wholesale loosening of the controls that are in place, but there is no real data to support retaining (except the airlines argument) the current restrictions. "most aircraft with an achievable ceiling of 24,000 feet" FL240? That's kind of lame. Where you in hang glider avionics? This post contains absolutely nothing of any redeeming social value. Viewer discretion advised