Cell Phone Usage in GA Planes

M

MusketeerMan

Well-Known Member
It's illegal, right? I called family members on the way home from So. Cal the other day, and was reminded by my father-in-law (an old school pilot) that it's illegal under an FCC regulation (interfering with ground signal). As I understand it, they don't want you talking on airplanes due to the possibility of "potential" equipment interferrence. It seems the laws are there strictly due to "potential" problems and nothing has been proven (from what I've heard and read).

I've talked on my cell phone several times in my own airplane, and talked to 121 pilots who have talked on their phones in the cockpit because the airplane antennas are towards the back of the plane. I know AOPA is pushing for it to be allowed...ALPA won't take either side and so on. I'm fine with it not being allowed on commercial due to the fact of it being annoying, but what about GA?? Still not allowed due to potential problems???
 
the FCC regs are against analog cellular telephones, i dont believe they were ever updated or incorperated into the digital spectrum (PCS). It was because of equipment limitations since you'd tie up every tower with line of sight, but that shouldnt be an issue on modern networks.

47CFR22.925

Thats the rule that prohibits "cellular" service while airborne, and "cellular sevice" is defined in 22.99. Current generation mobile services are all regulated under part 24, "Personal Communication Services", and there is no such prohibition in that part concerning airborne use, nor is there a reference i can find that established the rules in part 22 as a parent to these rules, and if you look in 24.2 which lists other parts with applicable rules part 22 is not listed.

If you are operating a cellular device certified and regulated under part 22, then yes, it is against regs to operate it airborne, but unless you are using a phone from the early-mid 90's before digital PCS came out (ie you are still using a phone that uses the AMPS or D-AMPS or earlier network, or whats left of that network) then you arent operating under part 22. If you are using a TDMA/CDMA/GSM/WCDMA/EDGE/EV-DO/HSDPA/UMTS/etc device, then you are under part 24 and that rule does not apply. confused yet? :)
 
Well, many headphones these days come with inputs where you can hook your cell phone up to, so I assume it's allowed.
 
nbv4 said:
Well, many headphones these days come with inputs where you can hook your cell phone up to, so I assume it's allowed.
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My bike can go 165 but thats not allowed.....

Heres a story.

About five years ago I called one of my friends on a cell phone as I was flying over the OU campus(he went to OU). His told his dad(an FAA inspector) what I did and I got a message that night that said not only did the FAA see it as reckless(just like driving and talking) it was punishable by up to a 10,000 dollar fine from the FCC.

So....even though it appears the FCC regulations haven't been updated to go with the times the FAA can still violate you for reckless flying.
 
Yeah i had thought it was only illegal during operation in IMC.

But I can see the "reckless" thing...what if it's someone in a passenger seat though?
 
I have used my phone a number of times to call the FSS to file, open, and close flight plans when I cant get them on the radio. They never seemed to care and I told them that I was in the air.
 
Hypothetically speaking, if I were to use my cell in the air, i would use SMS to communicate with people since it is only a short transmission burst. Plus, I don't have the cell-phone interface so I wouldn't be able to hear anyone anyway. As for it only being illegal in IMC, I thought that if the operator (me) of the a-c determined it not to interfere with any electronics, then the use of a cell phone would be as legal in IMC as in VMC. Plus, I never turn my phone off in IMC and VMC and havn't had one problem. In fact, I found that I get better reception flying over places then I do driving (especially in the middle of nowhere), hypothetically speaking of course..
 
flyguy969 said:
As far as I thought flying IMC is illegal but VFR is okay. Please tell me if a am wrong!
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FAR 91.21 refers to electronic devices as being determined by the operator (in GA that would be PIC) but it doesnt say anything about phones. I am looking through the FAR AIM now.
 
I would go with 91.21 and be conservative. It says operating under insrument flight rules, not in IMC. That would mean on an IFR flight plan. Also applies to air carriers.

There is a little clause: 91.21(b)(5) Any portable electronic device that the operator has determined will not cause interference with the navigation or communication system.

You could look at that and detemine your cell phone doesn't cause interference, but I'd be willing to go out on a limb and say the FAA probably wouldn't agree with you in court if something bad ever happened.
 
Mine doesn't work above 1000 AGL for voice or text anyway, so I just shut it off to save the battery. The adapter for using your cell phone with your headset would be great for picking up an IFR clearance on the ground at an airport without a RCO/GCO.
 
I am going to go out on a little teeny tiny limb here and say I cant find anything in 14 CFR about cell phone usage. The search turned up 227 results for cell, but all of those were in regards to power cells, batteries and such; and only 5 results for phone, and all of those were about phone numbers. 0 results for the word cellular. I know the old king school videos, and the jeppesen textbooks tell you it is a definate NoNo. I am not advocating that everybody start dialing the minute they liftoff, but I have definately found the phone useful when radio communication is not available. Is it possible that there is no regulation which is specific regarding cell phone usage in flight?
 
bdhill1979 said:
I am going to go out on a little teeny tiny limb here and say I cant find anything in 14 CFR about cell phone usage. The search turned up 227 results for cell, but all of those were in regards to power cells, batteries and such; and only 5 results for phone, and all of those were about phone numbers. 0 results for the word cellular. I know the old king school videos, and the jeppesen textbooks tell you it is a definate NoNo. I am not advocating that everybody start dialing the minute they liftoff, but I have definately found the phone useful when radio communication is not available. Is it possible that there is no regulation which is specific regarding cell phone usage in flight?
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this was established in the first two posts in this thread. The FAA has no rules regarding cell phones in particular, they just fall under "portable electronic devices" (discussed above). Go up to the very top of this thread and read the first post i made, it links to the rule in title 47 (telecommunications) that prohibits airborne use of "cellular" communications. Its an FCC rule prohibiting them airborne, not an FAA rule. The post i made up there also discusses title 47 part 22 vs part 24, and how that rule against airborne use only applies to part 22 devices (800 MHz cellular services) and not part 24 devices (non-800 MHz PCS services).
 
casey said:
this was established in the first two posts in this thread. The FAA has no rules regarding cell phones in particular, they just fall under "portable electronic devices" (discussed above). Go up to the very top of this thread and read the first post i made, it links to the rule in title 47 (telecommunications) that prohibits airborne use of "cellular" communications. Its an FCC rule prohibiting them airborne, not an FAA rule. The post i made up there also discusses title 47 part 22 vs part 24, and how that rule against airborne use only applies to part 22 devices (800 MHz cellular services) and not part 24 devices (non-800 MHz PCS services).
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gotcha
 
The Lear I fly has an 'plane phone' It uses ground stations for calls, don't hardly ever work though.
 
Texasspilot said:
About five years ago I called one of my friends on a cell phone as I was flying over the OU campus(he went to OU). His told his dad(an FAA inspector) what I did and I got a message that night that said not only did the FAA see it as reckless(just like driving and talking) it was punishable by up to a 10,000 dollar fine from the FCC.
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There's a DE in the central FL area that, while on checkrides, will do deals on his cell phone. He plugs it in to his headset. Kinda funny how the FAA is, and how one person will violate then fine you for doing something while a DE does the same thing without giving it a second thought.
 
Nothing is illegal if you don't get caught!!!!!!!

If you can get a signal and hear what the other people are saying, I say use it. I have used mine in the air and know many people that have. Just don't call the FAA and tell them, like not speeding when you see a cop!
 
dc3flyer said:
Nothing is illegal if you don't get caught!!!!!!!

If you can get a signal and hear what the other people are saying, I say use it. I have used mine in the air and know many people that have. Just don't call the FAA and tell them, like not speeding when you see a cop!
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So what other FAR are you willing to break, in hope of not getting caught??
 
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