(CNN) -- Airplane travelers will soon be able to watch videos and play games with their electronic devices throughout their entire flight -- and not just above a certain altitude -- the Federal Aviation Administration said Thursday in a long anticipated announcement.
CNN报道,FAA周四在一份声明中表示,旅客很快将可以在飞行全程使用电子设备,不受高度层限制。
But don't expect to be chatting on your cell phone. A ban on using cell phones for voice communication remains in effect.
但是,语言通话依然会被禁止。
The FAA, following months of study by a group of aviation experts, said that airlines can soon allow passengers to use portable electronic devices such as tablets, laptop computers, e-readers and cell phones in airplane mode throughout the flight -- with some circumstantial restrictions.
在航空专家数个月的研究后,FAA表示,在一些限制条件下,航空公司可以允许乘客全程使用电子设备,例如平板电脑,笔记本电脑,电子书和带有飞行模式的手机。
Until now, passengers in the United States were prohibited from using the devices until their plane rose above 10,000 feet. The timing of the changes will depend on individual airlines, but an FAA statement said it expects "many carriers will prove to the FAA that their planes allow passengers to safely use their devices in airplane mode, gate-to-gate, by the end of the year.”
目前,美国的旅客在10000英尺下禁止使用电子设备。政策改变的时间将视航空公司而定,但FAA希望年底前,各家公司可以允许乘客全程使用带有飞行模式的电子设备。
"Each airline will determine how and when this will happen," FAA administrator Michael Huerta told reporters at Reagan National Airport.
FAA主管 Michael Huerta 在罗纳德·里根华盛顿国家机场向记者表示,各家航空公司将决定是否推行这项决定以及推行的时间。
The periods of flight in question are fairly short. The ascent of an aircraft to 10,000 feet usually takes 10 minutes or less, depending on the airport and weather conditions, said Patrick Smith, a commercial airline pilot and Askthepilot blogger.
Patrick Smith,飞行员与Askthepilot作者表示,鉴于天气与机场状况,飞机在10000英尺下的飞行时间一般在10分钟以下。
Delta Air Lines and JetBlue wasted no time announcing Thursday morning that both airlines have filed plans with the FAA to allow for use of approved electronic devices below 10,000 feet on their flights. Both carriers had representatives on the FAA advisory panel.
达美航空与捷蓝航空在周四立即表示,两家公司已经向FAA递交了文件,请求允许在10000英尺下使用电子设备。两家公司在FAA均有代理。
The FAA said Thursday afternoon that it had already received plans from some airlines.
FAA周四下午表示已经收到了一些公司的申请。
"The agency is reviewing the plans to make sure they conform to the guidance we released a few hours ago," the FAA said. "Depending on the condition of the plan, we could approve expanded use of electronic devices very soon.”
FAA表示他们正在审查这些申请,以确保它们符合数小时前发布的规定。随申请情况,FAA可以很快批准这些申请。
The FAA also permits the use of in-flight Wi-Fi service if the airline offers and allows it. Delta said its service will continue to be available above 10,000 feet.
FAA同时允许在飞机上开设Wi-Fi服务。达美航空表示,他们的服务将继续在10000英尺之上有效。
The FAA had long claimed that using electronic devices during takeoff and landing posed a safety issue and that radio signals from the devices could interfere with an aircraft's communications, navigation and other systems.
FAA之前的一份声明表示,在飞机起落时使用电子设备会造成安全隐患,因为信号可能影响飞机的通讯,导航以及其他系统。
But a panel the FAA established last year to study the issue concluded that most commercial airplanes can tolerate radio interference signals.
但是,去年FAA的一份研究表示,大部分商用飞机可以承受这些干扰信号。
Before an airline switches to the relaxed rules, it will have to prove to the FAA that its aircraft can tolerate the interference. Airlines have, over the years, built newer planes with portable electronics in mind, hardening them against electromagnetic interference.
在航空公司执行这项规定前,它必须向FAA证明旗下飞机可以承受干扰。航空公司在近些年一直在强化飞机的抗干扰能力。
The FAA did outline an exception to the new rule: "In some instances of low visibility -- about one percent of flights -- some landing systems may not be proved PED tolerant, so you may be asked to turn off your device.”
FAA也规定了例外情况:“在只占1%的低能见度的情况下,某些着陆系统可能不能承受移动设备干扰,所以可以要求乘客关闭电子设备。”
An airline pilots union that participated in revising the rules voiced support Thursday for the requirement that airlines prove their fleet's tolerance to signal interference, but expressed reservations about traveler compliance.
一个参与研究的飞行员工会周四表示了支持,但是对乘客持保留态度。
"We remain concerned that relying on passengers to selectively turn off their devices in areas of extremely poor weather is not a practical solution," the Air Line Pilots Association said in a statement.
在一份声明中,飞行员组织表示,他们对在极端天气情况下,依赖乘客的自觉关闭电子设备表示关切。
Enforcing the policy
Flight attendants' hard jobs just got harder, said travel blogger Johnny "Jet" DiScala. That's because they'll have to ensure that passengers are only using devices in "aircraft safe" mode, not downloading anything from the Internet.
Johnny "Jet" DiScala 表示,乘务员的工作压力增大了,因为他们要确保乘客使用了飞行模式,没有从互联网上下载内容。
"No one turns their devices off anymore," DiScala says. "I don't say anything (to fellow passengers about turning them off) these days because all the studies have shown that it doesn't cause any problems, and the pilots are now using stuff (iPads and other electronic devices) in the cockpit.”
DiScala表示,没人会关闭他们的设备。一切的研究都证明这不会造成问题,而且现在飞行员在驾驶舱内会使用电子设备(iPad或其他电子设备)。
#注释:iPad可以提供全世界的航图,检查单等,并可以提供便捷的搜索功能,免去飞行员携带大量文件的痛苦。
The Association of Flight Attendants expressed some concerns, asking in a statement that testing be streamlined to ensure that "airplanes can tolerate electromagnetic interference" from passenger devices. Development of crew training and passenger messaging is also needed to ensure passengers pay attention to safety messages from flight attendants, the union said.
空服员组织表示关切,并发布声明称需要需要证明电子设备不会影响飞行,并需要乘客关注空服员发布的安全信息。
Benefits for travelers, electronics manufacturers
It's no surprise that advocates for the travel and electronics industries cheered the easing of the restrictions on devices during flight.
毫不奇怪,旅游产业与电子设备厂商对于这项规定十分欢迎。
"We're pleased the FAA recognizes that an enjoyable passenger experience is not incompatible with safety and security," Roger Dow, U.S. Travel Association president and CEO, said in a prepared statement. "What's good for the traveler is good for travel-related businesses and our economy.”
Roger Dow,美国旅行组织的主席兼CEO在一份准备过的声明中表示,他对于FAA承认旅行的快乐和安全不相抵触感到十分高兴,并表示这对旅行者和产业大有裨益。
Travel blogger Brett Snyder said he expects a lot of consumer satisfaction related to the new policy.
Brett Snyder 表示他认为游客将会对此感到满意,
"This is exactly what travelers have wanted," said Snyder, the Cranky Flier columnist, via e-mail.
Snyder 通过邮件表示,这个规定是游客翘首以盼的。
"It will, however, mean people have more distracting them from paying attention during the safety briefing, so airlines are going to really have to step up their game to make sure people understand how to be as safe as possible.”
他同时表示,这会让乘客在安全教学中分心,所以航空公司需要让他们的教学引人入胜。
In early October, the Consumer Electronics Association announced support for an FAA committee recommendation that passengers generally be allowed to use typical lightweight electronic devices at all altitudes of flight on airplanes hardened against radio interference.
10月初,电子消费品组织表示支持FAA委员会在强化过的飞机中允许全程使用轻型电子设备。
About 69% of passengers traveling with an e-device reported using their devices on a flight, and almost one-third of passengers admitted to accidentally leaving one on in flight, according to a 2013 CEA/Airline Passenger Experience Association study.
据2013年的报告,69%的乘客在飞行中携带电子设备,其中三分之一承认他们曾经在飞行中无意保持设备开启。
来源:
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/10/31/travel/faa-portable-electronic-devices/
FAA allowing most electronic device use throughout flights
By Jason Hanna and Katia Hetter, CNN
October 31, 2013 -- Updated 2146 GMT (0546 HKT)
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