Wifi on airplanes
 

OMG

This may be common in the states but I've just tasted my first aircraft wifi and I'm loving it. Well done Norwegian Air and SAS!

Davo

Did they charge for it? I may be going back to Stavanger soon.

Im still fascinated with the free earbuds...

I was able to use in-flight wifi for free a few weeks ago. It cut out once we were out of the continental US though. On the return flight it was $5 and only available over conUS again.

Wait a sec......most flights want the phone etc off......so you went airplane mode? Orrrr

Good for email and light browsing, but no streaming. It's nice to have and I'm sure that one day the speed will be up there making what we can't do today seem "old timer".

Exactly, but it's the thought that counts! It was free!

Davo

You can select airplane mode with wifi on. Anyway my experience is it sucks and isn't worth the money.

Once I ride on an airliner with wifi I'm going to use it to watch videos of plane crashes.

All that noise about cell phones and computers/WiFi interfering with the plane's systems was, and is, complete and utter crap. They just don't want you using it if you're not paying them to use it. You notice how quickly WiFi became OK once they figured out a way to charge for it.

Actually, the original analog cell phones could cause problems for the nav/coms aboard a plane. But now that everything is digital, that problem has pretty much gone away.

A few years ago, I was on a flight and I had a little GPS module that connected to my laptop via USB. I was sitting by the window, so had the GPS right by the window. I had a map of the US up on my laptop and the GPS was plotting our flight position and speed.

A steward was walking the aisle and saw it. He asked what it was. I told him it was a GPS and I was using it to see where we were, identify landmarks and such. He turn white, eyes wide, and all nervous and said "you can't use that on a plane!". I told him it only received signals and it couldn't possibly interfere with the plane. He insisted I couldn't use it. I decided to turn it off so I didn't get kicked off the plane right then and there.

There were probably 100 other people on the plane using laptops, tablets, video games, and probably a few cell phones that didn't get turned off that would emit more radio interference than my little low-power GPS. But I guess he didn't understand GPS, so it must be dangerous.

Now that they are allowing WIFI, I wonder if I can use my GPS again.

There concearns are more of a post 911 issue. Flight crews are a little paranoid with good reason.
I once tried to board a commercial airliner with my hand held VHF aviation transceiver in my carry on bag. The TSA pulled me aside for a little interview. I showed them my pilot certificate and told them that I would be renting a private aircraft when we landed to get to my final destination. I use the hand held as a back up radio as rental planes can have unreliable avionics. After the third degree they let me go and told me to pack the radio in my check in baggage in the future. BTW, in the aviation community, TSA really means: "Totally Stupid Agency"

To the rest of us, as well.

Another pilot eh? Cheers mate!