[djonathang]

Sorry if this has been asked before. I couldn't find the answer when I searched.

I'm going to take my first commercial flight with my BB. Is there a flight mode, where all but email, phone and internet remains operational?

Thanks.

DG

[JSanders]

Yes, turn off the wireless. I do it first before I turn off the BB, just before takeoff when asked to do so. Then when I turn the BB back on, the wireless is off already.

You will find the icon on your homescreen to Manager Wireless Networks.

[djonathang]

JSanders,

Forgive me for being slow on the uptake, but I don't know how to turn off the wireless.

[djonathang]

Found it - Under Manage Connections. Phew!

DG

[Jumpin_Joe]

Originally Posted by JSanders

Yes, turn off the wireless. I do it first before I turn off the BB, just before takeoff when asked to do so. Then when I turn the BB back on, the wireless is off already.

I've always done this. But on some domestic flight recently (I forget which airline), a flight attendant saw my "phone" powered up and she was unhappy with me. She told me to "turn my phone off". I attempt to explain to her that my wireless was off - to no avail. Knowing that arguing with a member of an airline can land you in hot water pretty quickly, I complied (it was a short flight).

YMMV.

[JSanders]

Originally Posted by Jumpin_Joe

I've always done this. But on some domestic flight recently (I forget which airline), a flight attendant saw my "phone" powered up and she was unhappy with me. She told me to "turn my phone off". I attempt to explain to her that my wireless was off - to no avail. Knowing that arguing with a member of an airline can land you in hot water pretty quickly, I complied (it was a short flight).

YMMV.

Smart man, lol! A flight I had this past week the flight attendant even even specifically mentioned BlackBerrys by name, and to make sure they were in flight mode. Some PDAs actually have something called "flight mode", but with wireless off, you are good to go.

[Contender36]

haha, every commercial flight i have been on in the past year or so, they have said CELL PHONES and BLACKBERRY DEVICES TURNED OFF, but i dont fly commercial much, but when i fly myself, i use my cell phone thru my headset in the plane, and it works til about 4500 feet, and then nothing, but it does NOTHING to the instrumentation in the ****pit, they are just stupid with it, but ya never know...

[NCBuckeye]

I was just on one a week ago and they did mention blackberries by name also.

[aiharkness]

Wirelessly posted (8700g: BlackBerry8700/4.2.1 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/100)

Yes, when flight attendants say all electronic gadgets off, they mean powered off. (Once sat next to a guy who tried to tell the attendant that his phone was meant to be always on and didn't even have an off switch. Too funny. The attendant told the guy to remove the battery or he would take the phone and do it himself...)

As JS says, you can turn wireless off and use other functions when you are allowed.

Personally, I power off for the entire flight. Don't bother turning wireless off beforehand, but I do activate vibrate profile..... I used to leave in whatever profile it is in, until I had a calendar or task alert come on, which of course turned on the blackberry, etc.

[majidekeitai]

I've been flying 2 times a week and have never been asked to turn off my BB when watching videos. Most of the crew on Soutwest seem to know about BB's and flight modes.

[MooseNYC]

Originally Posted by Contender36

i use my cell phone thru my headset in the plane, and it works til about 4500 feet, and then nothing, but it does NOTHING to the instrumentation in the ****pit, they are just stupid with it, but ya never know...

Contender,

Why I am replying to your post:
As an Commercial Aircraft Maintenance Technician and former Flight Mechanic on large transport aircraft (B747s) I can tell you that it DOES have an effect, that they're not being 'just stupid with it'.
Your actions, and the actions of others that do this, can put you, your fellow passenger and the flight crews in jeopardy.

What My Statement is:
The most critical time of flight is the Take Off & Landing due to the heavy reliance on the navigation equipment, not only to fly the aircraft in bad weather but to offset the workload when flying into heavily congested areas (almost any commercial airport or class a / b airspace).
Thats not even to mention anything about the modern fly by wire aircraft that have its flight surfaces moved by an electrical signal, just think, if there was ever a break down of the electrical shielding on some of those wires and your cell phone was in proximity and turned on in radio mode, you could potentially interfere with the movement of a control surface... And just think if that happened right at take off or landing or any other time..

Its not a good situation.

My Request:
Please do not use your cell phone (any kind) on a flight and think 'oh they're just full of it'

Here are a few links to why the airlines must tell you to turn your cell phones off
Advisory Circular

FAA Fact Sheet

News Paper Article

Story by members of the IEEE


I'm not trying to berate you here but your comment is disturbing to me. I hope that others who might have done this or considered this will refrain from doing that.

Regards,

Dave