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IP: Bluetooth risks airline safety?: [risks] Risks Digest 21.38
From: David Farber <dave () farber net>
Date: Thu, 10 May 2001 05:44:48 -0400
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
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- IP: Bluetooth risks airline safety?: [risks] Risks Digest 21.38 David Farber (May 10)