Inflight Wi-Fi hits more turbulence

In this day and age, one of the last things you want to happen during a flight is interference with the flight controls. Most modern airliners don’t glide very well and won’t glide at all if the control inputs are wrong.

Inflight Wi-Fi and cellphone services – which transmit low power microwave radio signals within an aircraft’s fuselage – have already been criticised by security engineers for providing a ready means for terrorists to remotely detonate explosives. Now the technology has been found to be interfering with flight critical electronics too.

This latest finding was made by Boeing while testing inflight Wi-Fi equipment for use on its next generation 737 twin-engined aircraft. The Seattle-based plane maker found that a certain type of new, brighter cockpit display made by Honeywell of Torrance, California, could go blank when an inflight wireless system, made by Aircell of Itasca, Illinois, was used nearby.

“Blanking of the display units was reported during electromagnetic interference certification testing of wireless broadband systems (Wi-Fi) on various 737NG airplanes,” Boeing said in a statement issued today. Read more…

Fortunately, they found the problem before it became a production model. I must admit, however, that I’m a little surprised that the new display system wasn’t shielded. Perhaps there was some sort of weight issue with the original shielding? They’re working on it and the problem should be fixed…or passengers are going to have to start sleeping on those flights.

First Window

Greetings.

Technology is a wonderful thing. It makes life easier. It allows you to live longer. It allows you to do more. It can make life more fulfilling.

Technology is a frightening thing. It makes you a slave to electricity. It allows doctors to keep your body breathing and your heart beating when your brain flatlines. It compels you to do more. It can make life more cluttered.

Am I a Luddite? No. I am a technophile. But technology needs a place, just like nature needs a place. Live away from it, or live with it—either way is addictive.