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Whenever we travel in an airplane or flight, the same instruction repeatedly given to the passengers by the air hostess or pilot just before take-off is that they should put their smartphones and electronic devices on ‘Airplane Mode’. Many times this question comes in the mind of passengers that what is the actual function of this small button or feature and can keeping the phone on really cause a major plane accident. People often think that this is just a formality or a way to save battery when there is no network during the flight, but the technical truth behind it is very serious and surprising. Let us understand in detail in this article today why it is necessary to turn on airplane mode in flight and what are the major safety reasons hidden behind it.
Air travel is considered to be the safest mode of transportation in the world today, because every aspect of security is worked very closely in it. Even a little carelessness on the part of passengers while traveling by plane can become the cause of a big problem. Aircraft equipped with modern technology rely on many complex radio signals and navigation systems while flying thousands of feet in the air. If a passenger keeps his phone on in normal mode during the flight, then what kind of disturbance can the radio waves emanating from it cause to the sensitive equipment of the aircraft, let us delve into each and every layer of it very deeply.
Generally, there is a misconception in the minds of people that if someone uses the phone in flight, the plane will crash immediately. However, technology experts and aviation experts say that the possibility of a plane crashing directly from a single phone is very less, but the danger still does not go away. When an aircraft is flying in the sky, it is in constant radio frequency communication with air traffic control (ATC) towers and satellites located miles away from the ground. Pilots sitting in the cockpit of an aircraft need these signals to see the path, get weather information and get instructions for landing or takeoff.
If hundreds of passengers inside the cabin keep their phones on normal mode, their phones start emitting electromagnetic waves (EMF) at their full strength to catch or seek signals from nearby mobile towers. When such rays and signals are emitted from hundreds of phones simultaneously, they cause ‘electromagnetic interference’ (EMI) in the aircraft’s communication system. Due to this, a strange, harsh and disturbing sound starts resonating in the headphones of the pilots, due to which they cannot hear the important instructions of ATC clearly and this situation can lead to any major accident.
To put it a little more technically, our mobile phones operate on a fixed frequency band that is designed to communicate with cell towers on the ground. When you’re on the ground, your phone has to connect to a tower farther away, so it uses less energy. But when you’re flying in the air at an altitude of 30,000 feet, your phone tries to simultaneously catch signals from dozens of towers on the ground several kilometers below. To do this the phone increases its transmission power to the maximum level.
This extremely strong radio frequency can confuse aircraft navigation systems, autopilots and radar equipment. This is the reason why under aviation rules, strict instructions are given to either switch off all electronic devices completely or put them on airplane mode during takeoff and landing. As soon as Airplane Mode is turned on, the phone’s cellular transmitter, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are disabled, due to which the exchange of any kind of external signals stops and the aircraft system remains safe.
As technology is advancing, major changes are also being seen in the aviation sector. Many big telecom companies and aircraft manufacturers around the world are now working on such modern technology so that passengers can get mobile network and internet facility without any interruption even during flight. Aviation boards of the European Union (EU) and many other countries have now started allowing airlines to use 5G technology and special ‘pico-cells’ in their flights. With the help of these special devices, a small local network is created inside the aircraft, through which phones connect directly to the aircraft’s system and do not disturb the towers on the ground below.
However, in India and many other countries it is still mandatory to keep airplane mode on during takeoff and landing keeping safety standards paramount. Until all aircraft are fully equipped with this new technology, it is the moral responsibility of every passenger to follow the instructions of the crew member and make the journey safe.
Air travel is not just a journey, but it is a web of responsibility and discipline where every little detail of every passenger matters. When you board a flight and put your phone on airplane mode along with your seat belt, you’re not just following the rules, you’re also contributing to the safety of hundreds of other passengers on that plane and yourself. Being cut off from the world for a few hours during a journey and enjoying these beautiful valleys of the sky is indeed a very relaxing experience.