[geeks] gps on plane

[wa2egp at att.net]

> Huh, well thanks for the vote of confidence:
> 
> "A pilot reported to NASA that during an October 1998 flight from Seattle
> to Cincinnati, his aircraft experienced a loss of all three of its
> autopilot systems because a man was wearing a headset that was part of a
> hearing aid. The passenger was allowed to use the device, but was moved
> forward several seats, at which point the plane regained full operational
> capabilities."
> 
> 
> >From http://www.wired.com/news/print/0,1294,41273,00.html
> 
> I actually read the story a while ago in a IEEE magazine, but I could not
> find a reference to it online.
> 
Well, from the article, only 40 incidents were reported.  Out of how many hours
of flight time?  None of the effects were able to be duplicated.  In actual
scientific circles, their case has not been proved.  I can understand being 
cautious.  With the guy and the headset......either the headset was faulty
or the electronics associated with the autopilot was pretty crappy...my guess
would be shielding since the seat change eliminated the effect.  They are right
about the EM soup that planes fly through.  My experience running mobile ham
radio equipment in my car is that car electronics is NOT shielded in any way,
more sensitive to interference and the "local" noises (line noise, ignition
noise from other cars, computer and fluoresent light noise) has increased
tremendously (S5 background to S9 now) over the last few years.  Imagine what
a plane hears from overhead!
I didn't mean to offend by asking for a citation.  Being in the educational
field, I've heard so much crap ("studies have shown....") that I almost
instinctively do that at times.  It's amazing what that does to the "experts"
when they realize want to double check their sources ;->
Bob

Bob