Yes! Vindication! You were totally right to give that snooty guy sitting next to you the stinkeye when he refused to turn off his Kindle before takeoff, because you know, for some reason, he thinks the rules don’t apply to him. Anyway: A new study cites 75 instances since 2003 where portable electronic devices may have interfered with airplane communication, navigation or surveillance systems.

“If that interference happens at the wrong time then it can be a threat to the aircraft and safe operations,” says Dave Carson, Co-chair of the Special Committee On Portable Electronic Devices.

While blame can’t be conclusively laid on PEDs, they’ve been implicated in malfunctions of an autopilot, rudders, a GPS, and more. Scary!

They’re only allowed for use by the FAA above 10,000 feet because at that altitude, pilots will have more time to find and fix whatever problem arises.

Consumers might be confused as to what constitutes an electronic device, so follow your flight attendants guidelines: If it has an on/off switch, turn it off. Yes, even you, guy in hoodie listening to the super coolest and newest music no one else has heard of yet.

Portable Electronic Devices May Not Be So Friendly In Flight [WUSA9]

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