FAA Approves iPads in Cockpits, But Not for Passengers

The Federal Aviation Administration said that pilots on American Airlines flights would be allowed to use iPads instead of paper flight manuals in the cockpit starting Dec 16, even during takeoff and landing. But, passengers are still required to shut down anything with the slightest electronic pulse from the moment a plane leaves the gate until it reaches an altitude of 10,000 feet.

The rule barring passengers from using a Kindle, an iPad, or even a calculator, were originally made to protect the electronics of an aircraft from interference. Yet pilots with iPads will be enclosed in the cockpit just a few inches from critical avionics on a plane. There is some thought that the rule disallowing devices during takeoff and landing was made to insure passengers paid attention. The FAA has never claimed this. (If this was the case, passengers would not be allowed to have books, magazines or newspapers during takeoff and landing.)