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Are personal electronics a risk to commercial aviation?

Not only the electrical devices using EM wave (ex: Cellphone, RC car, ...), but other electrical devices (ex: MP3, Nintendo DS, ...) are also prohibited in airplane, when it's landing or departing.

I heard that using any electrical devices can corrupt communication between the airplane and the airport, but I don't think that my little MP3 player will corrupt the communication. And that claim doesn't make sense, I think, because it is true that RC car controller can corrupt listening radio broadcast, but I have never seen that a camera or an MP3 player corrupts radio broadcast or communication between cellphones.

Do electrical devices that doesn't directly use electromagnetic wave corrupts communication between the airplane and the airport? If those do, how much those corrupts?

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JiminP
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  • They might simply not take any risks. Furthermore, the main issue probably is that even or especially small electronic devices can turn into projectiles during a harsh landing and injure people. – Martin Scharrer May 29 '11 at 13:24
  • Then they should have **banned** every electronic devices even when the airplane is **flying**. However, many electronic devices aren't banned, except those using EM wave. – JiminP May 29 '11 at 13:27
  • @JiminP: It should be OK as long they are stored away during start and landing, which is what you get told. These are the more dangerous parts of a flight. – Martin Scharrer May 29 '11 at 13:31
  • @Martin Scharrer But things like MP3 player can be used while it's fixed.. – JiminP May 29 '11 at 13:36
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    @JiminP: Try telling this to an insurance agent. To repeat my point: Not allowing these devices to be used during critical parts of the flight reduces the injury risk. That alone would be a good enough reason to not allow their usage. However, there is no reason to completely banning them. – Martin Scharrer May 29 '11 at 13:46
  • I understood your point.. then, how much are they dangerous? Is there any cases that electrical devices made some serious problems? (I know it can be a risk even if there's no case, but I want to be kinda skeptical) – JiminP May 29 '11 at 13:51
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    I'd be somewhat more worried about a flying hardcover book than an ipod shuffle... – Jivlain May 29 '11 at 14:05
  • I think there was already a duplicate Q but can't find it – user5341 May 29 '11 at 14:32
  • Electronics all leak EM waves to some extent as the current through the wires changes. Older electronics was less power efficient and might have posed a risk during the sensitive landing/takeoff. Proving that something poses no risk at all is expensive! – Nick Nov 29 '13 at 17:16

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