The Point of Stupidity

[dr1819]

This point has been reached: http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/europe/08/23/schiphol/index.html

Main Quote: "Dutch police said Wednesday that 12 passengers were in custody after a Northwest Airlines flight bound for Mumbai, India, returned to Amsterdam when several people on board aroused concern."

And how did they "arouse concern?" "some of the passengers had pulled out cell phones during the flight, and that some appeared to be trying to pass the cell phones to other passengers..."

Wow. Imagine that. People. Humans. Communicating...

Cause for concern?

The security folks that are now apparently running the airlines need to get a clue or two as to what's considered NORMAL human behavior. Every airline flight I've ever been on in the past decade has seen 20% of the passengers communicating by cell phone shortly before takeoff and shortly after landing.

So what's changed, as I'd really like to know...

[sscotty727]

Given that they have rules that do not allow cellphones to be used during the flight and given the fact they COULD be used as a detionation device, I can understand the cause for concern. However, turning a plane around isn't going to stop someone from setting off the device. If they were said terriorists and thought to be caught, I am sure they would have gone early rather than be caught. I do agree though the screening process needs to be fixed as well as how things are handled once detected. I will also agree that fear of over-zealous screeners/airline employees have kept me from flying since 911, not fear of terrorists.

[chris100575]

Aside from anything else, I thought that the signal from a cell phone could interfere with the avionics? Chris

[dr1819]

So let me get this right:

You don't understand why someone on a plane using a cell phone is cause for concern?

Hang on a minute ... Weren't you the same dr1819 that thinks using a cell phone whilst driving a car is ok providing you can multi-task?

I can understand the title of this topic now. This is truly the point of stupidity.

"So let me get this right..." Sadly, you didn't get this right. Please re-read as is without reading into it. I'm quite capable of stating my own words without having others put words into my mouth without my permission.

Thanks.

Hi, sscotty727, - I agree with your sentiments! However, I have to keep flying commercial, as the aircraft I'm qualified to pilot (Cessna 172) has a difficult time making it across the pond...

Ah, chris100575! You're absolutely right, and is the principle reason behind every takeoff and landing briefing aboard commercial aviation today.

Not Terrorism.

Lindsey: "This is why you are asked not to use cell phones on a plane. So when someone does (as in the case of this topic), it could be considered a deliberate act of sabotage, therefor, cause for concern."

Of course not, particularly given the fact that half the pax were attempting to use the cell phones, almost invariably because the other half were trying to use theirs.

Human nature pushes through. It always has. It always will. Attributing terrorist motives to mob mentality is both stupid and foolish, as the two are totally unrelated - Terrorists act as individuals or very smalls cells (2 to 5 people). They highly idealistic, not drunken monkeys bent on thrashing a few stop signs.

Totally different animals.

[vector]

Got a better one....

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060823/ap_on_fe_st/penis_pump_threat

[jmc]

Aside from anything else, I thought that the signal from a cell phone could interfere with the avionics?

Chris

Hmmm, if a cell phone can put out enough electrical hash to send this huge aluminum tube crashing unceremoniously to Earth then exactly why do I want to be on it? There are a whole bunch of other things that put out a heckuva lot more noise than that (like power generation stations, high-voltage transmission lines, TV and radio transmitters, radar installations -- like the ones they use at airports -- and let us not forget lightning strikes).

One of the myriad reasons I do not set foot on airplanes.

[BobHH]

Airplanes are designed for lightning strikes and all sorts of other electromagnetic interference, so their systems are OK. The concern is with possible interference with radio communication in critical traffic areas, i. e. near airports. Also, Instrument Landing System (ILS) signals are received by radio.

[jmc]

Don't matter to me. They're still a whole lot heavier than the air that's supposed to be holding them up. And they go down immensely easier than they go up. The "going down" part is not necessarily controlled either.

[chris100575]

I don't like flying because it's boring and cramped, but you are far more likely to be killed on your way to the airport than on the plane. Chris

[dr1819]

Fine. Deny all cell phone use aboard airplanes. It's what, 3 to 10 minutes between landing and gate? Duh! Just pack the cell phones with the check baggage.

[wongetje]

Fine. Deny all cell phone use aboard airplanes. It's what, 3 to 10 minutes between landing and gate?

Duh!

Just pack the cell phones with the check baggage.

If you have read the news more carefully you would have read that it was DURING the flight, and the seatbelt sign was still on.

[HeelD]

Hmmm, if a cell phone can put out enough electrical hash to send this huge aluminum tube crashing unceremoniously to Earth then exactly why do I want to be on it? There are a whole bunch of other things that put out a heckuva lot more noise than that (like power generation stations, high-voltage transmission lines, TV and radio transmitters, radar installations -- like the ones they use at airports -- and let us not forget lightning strikes).

One of the myriad reasons I do not set foot on airplanes.

Don't matter to me. They're still a whole lot heavier than the air that's supposed to be holding them up. And they go down immensely easier than they go up. The "going down" part is not necessarily controlled either.

That's a shame you don't like flying because there's a whole world out there to be seen, thanks to air travel. I can't imagine not being able to fly.

[Adeana]

jus remember.... Flying is NOT a right....it's a convenience.... so don't be too crazy with the scrutiny.... don't like it?...don't fly!....

[dr1819]

Hmmm, if a cell phone can put out enough electrical hash to send this huge aluminum tube crashing unceremoniously to Earth then exactly why do I want to be on it?

They can't crash an airplane, but there's a potential (very slight) for a cell phone signal to interfere with the precision navigation system (like ILS) that the pilots use to safely descend in the weather to the intended destination. Interference may cause the aircraft to descend to a location that's not intended, such as the side of a mountain.

Highly unlikely, though, as any interference would almost assuredly render the system inoperative, rather than providing false signals, and there are several workarounds for that, including the flight attendants checking all pax, using a difference system on a different frequency (such as a VOR or GPS approach), obtaining a PAR (where the ground-based controller gives you steering and altitude inputs every ten seconds until you're at your minimimum altitude), etc.

So, really, I don't understand the ban on cell phones, provided they're scanned, as the scanners do highlight explosives.

And yes, one small cell phone, if it contained the right explosives instead of cell phone innards, would be enough to bring down an airliner.

[dr1819]

Sorry - I should have made that more clear. If they're profiling people based on what's considered "normal" behavior, and a man walks up wearing a pair of 4" taper-heeled knee-high boots, what do you think that's going to do to all the little alarm bells in those folks' heads?

[Guy N. Heels]

Lessee here, Suicide terrorists have hijacked airplanes and changed the character of commercial aviation forever. If you can't understand that, then you need to wake-up & smell the coffee and take a look at the newspapers, buster. Dr1819 posts a rant in the Everybody forum and changes the character of this forum - for now. Wake up and smell the coffee. :x A Cessna has insufficent range to fly the Atlantic - well Lindburg did it, as well as "Wrongway Corrigan". So why can't you? Besides, exactly what all this has to do with heels is way beyond me.

[dr1819]

Hang on a minute ... Weren't you the same dr1819 that thinks using a cell phone whilst driving a car is ok providing you can multi-task?

I can understand the title of this topic now. This is truly the point of stupidity.

Cell phones used for exploding remote devices are one thing.

Cell phones used for communicating with loved ones are another.

Are you a terrorist?

Sounds like it. ATTENTION ALL: Be on the lookout for a terrrorist masquerading as as man with a mission!

I'm done, tired, need sleep, good night

[Guy N. Heels]

Hi Lindsay, And allow me to take this opportunity to congratulate you on your action figure avatar. It ROCKS! Now please allow me to explain that in my experience, minds - like parachutes - work best when open. Unfortunately, none is so blind as he who will not see - as we have observed from the originator of this thread. So we will just have to be patient while he finishes making a spectacle of himself.

[johnieheel]

Boy,this is getting good. Wanta talk about how many people get killed going to the air port or in air planes? Check out how many people are killed by cigeretts just in America every year. four hundred fifty thous to five hundred thous. Some of them even wear heels.

[Guy N. Heels]

Boy,this is getting good. Wanta talk about how many people get killed going to the air port or in air planes? Check out how many people are killed by cigeretts just in America every year. four hundred fifty thous to five hundred thous. Some of them even wear heels.