Comments on: Can you use the iPhone GPS in flight on an airplane to track your position?

By: GPS Tracklog

GPS Tracklog — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 12:02:48 +0000

The first answer is correct. You’ll have to disable cellular functions. Many flight magazines list in the back the types of electronics that are permitted by that airline.

By: Mxsmanic

Mxsmanic — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 08:24:49 +0000

Allowing the use of such devices is at the discretion of the airline. Ask the airline on which you’re traveling about it. Individual flight crews may also disallow the use of certain devices in flight (although they cannot permit the use of devices that the airline has prohibited).

An iPhone is only a potential risk if it is being used as a telephone, although flight crews are unlikely to understand this. Many multifunction mobile phones have a feature that lets you turn off the telephone function for use on an airplane—I don’t know off-hand if the iPhone is in this category. However, the GPS function does NOT transmit any type of signal, since GPS has no "servers" and GPS receivers are purely passive.

By: Jughead

Jughead — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 08:24:49 +0000

No, all phones have to be kept off during the flight, even if you use a gps if you get a call then you are interfering with the radio signals that the plane receives.

By: Andy S

Andy S — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 08:24:49 +0000

If you are asking whether you can or can’t..
well.. you can…
but it’s best not to.. and as what I know.. it’s against the rules..
since GPS system will try to communicate with it’s server and may interfere with the airplane’s navigation system..

By: Mike

Mike — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 08:24:49 +0000

Well i used mine a couple times to see if it would work ( i am a student pilot) but there airlines do not allow it.

By: LeeAnn S

LeeAnn S — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 08:24:49 +0000

If on a small aircraft, yes. But the FAA mandates that you have a FIXED GPS, not handheld, as I’ve heard from our resident flight instructor. As far as airlines go, I’m pretty sure you still can’t use your cell in flight. The myth is that it interferes with their equipment, but it really doesn’t. So who knows why they don’t allow it.

By: Craig R

Craig R — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 08:24:49 +0000

First, your question should be "May I use…" not "Can I use…". The answer is yes, you can, and no, you may not.

You’re not allowed to use any device that sends OR RECEIVES radio signals. GPS receives radio signals. You can ask when you get on board, but most likely you’ll be told no.

In general aviation (private) aircraft, you can’t use your cell phone in the air but you can use other devices if the pilot has determined they do not interfere with the electronics. Contrary to one of the other answers you got here there’s no problem using portable GPS devices in a private aircraft — hundreds of thousands of pilots do that every day.

I use a computer with bluetooth (bluetooth is radio technology) and an XM weather/music receiver (more radio technology) and a portable GPS when I fly in my private plane. None of those are a problem to anything but the compass. (I just keep the electronics away from the compass.)

I also use a ham radio transceiver in the air, which interferes with my comm radio in the airplane (because the airplane’s receiver is so bad) so I can only use it when I’m flying on a VFR flight plan (not depending on communications with air traffic control).

But… IF you could use your iPhone, you’d have no trouble tracking the flight with GPS assuming you can get enough satellites out that little window (you need at least 4).

By: geiko

geiko — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 08:24:49 +0000

first thing, the reason for not letting people use their cell phones on board is for security imagine 100`s of people talking while the flight attendant is trying to give instructions, and cell phones don’t have a signal up there, GPS systems wont transmit anything they receive signals and determine position. but i don’t know if iphone have enough reception capabilities for receiving inside an airplane, i have used my garmin nuvi inside a plane and works great as long as you are in a window seat. good luck

By: T S

T S — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 08:24:49 +0000

The other problem with allowing cell phones to be on during flight is that to allow it, the FAA would have to test each and every model of cell phone on the planet to make sure they don’t interfere with the avionics. It’s easier for them to make a blanket statement and say no to all of them. Also if you try to use a cell in the air, it confuses the cell system since the system needs to know where you are for it to work properly. From an airplane you are hitting 3-4 towers at once, maybe more. And since any cell phone GPS I’ve seen works in conjunction with the cell system, you could not operate the phone in "airplane mode" and still use the GPS.

By: threesheave

threesheave — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 08:24:49 +0000

Whether or not the airlines allow it, it just doesn’t work like it does in a car. I’ve tried it with my phone while flying a small plane.

The problem with cell phone GPS is that the moving map function only displays streets and roads and if you aren’t directly over a roadway, the GPS gets ‘lost’. It tries to figure out where you are, by finding the nearest road, but by that time, you’ve moved considerably.

If you want to follow along on your flight, I suggest you purchase a ‘real’ GPS receiver, such as a Magellan or Garmin. Many models are very cheap, so check to make sure that the model you buy will do what you want.

GPS receivers don’t transmit and can’t interfere with avionics, but always ask first and don’t assume you can just turn it on and use it. Phones with GPS always transmit using their internal modem to update the maps and images as you travel.