Satellite Phone Systems on Planes~Possible Major Problem?

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Can anyone shed some light on this?

I have heard that a satellite phone system that can be found on the backs of seats in airplanes and in the cockpit can be a potential source of problems. I would like to know if anyone else has heard this.

Here is what I have heard: When a satellite call is placed on a plane, a date-based table is looked up. If the date is not compliant, it can affect the entire phone system and render it inoperative. If the phone system is tied into the pilot's control console (which is evidently usually the case), the problem can cause the control console to go down. The pilot has to know to disconnect the phone system and hit the reset button in order for the control console to go back up again.

If someone knows this to be true, can the flying public rest assured that all of the airlines that have such phone systems are aware of this potential problem and have made sure that their satellite phone systems have been remediated? Can the flying public also be assured that pilots have been trained to quickly identify such a problem, disconnect the phone system, and hit the reset button should such a problem occur?

-- wzy (wzy@wzy.cum), January 26, 2000

Answers

This is one of most ridiculous posts I've seen yet. Where did you get the idea that aircraft phones operate throuh satellites? Here's the frequencies used by aircraft public phones:

Airplane phones (base stations): 454.025 - 455.000 Airplane phones (airplanes): 459.025 - 460.000

They don't look up date tables. They are not connected in any way to the "control console" (whatever that is). The pilot has absolutely no control over the phone system and there's no way for the phone system to have any effect on the plane. There's no reset button. This is pure bunk and I can't help but wonder what your motivation is for posting such a thing

-- Jim Cooke (JJCooke@yahoo.com), January 26, 2000.


Jess somone tryin' to take the Chief Kook title!

Kook

-- Y2Kook (Y2Kook@usa.net), January 26, 2000.


Has no one heard of phones on airlines that use credit cards and are installed in the backs of plane seats that allow you to use satellite connections over water?

-- jezwondering (jezwondering@wondering.wondering), January 26, 2000.

The phone systems that you are refering to are not wired directly to the control systems within any Boeing or american built plane, but I do not know about airbus. These phones do indeed use satellite connections for calls when transoceanic. The call rates are many times higher than radio based calls. These systems are set up to default to radio. If the connection cannot be made, it will ask (GTE phone standard) if satellite costs are ok. I do not remember if they display the costs or not. They do use date based lookup tables for billing. These are to determine which of the many rates to use for billing the call. Some hours are considered prime time and others are off peak and so cost less. These systems are indeed wired centrally within the plane, however, modern avionics makes this like having two separate neverous systems. The phone system, if it decides to go, will not take down the plane. It is true that these systems interface with cockpits (so the pilots have access for emergencies) but not with the control consoles.

-- pliney the younger (pliney@puget.sound), January 26, 2000.

Thanks so much, Pliny, for all the details. Thanks for taking the time to post your response.

Additional information from any and all is also welcome.

Thanks,

-- wzy (wzy@wzy.cum), January 27, 2000.



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