Beeping BlackBerry Triggers ‘Mayday’ Call, Flight Diversion
- Posted on March 3, 2012 at 10:30am by
Mike Opelka
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AP
Anyone who has traveled on a commercial flight in recent years has no doubt heard flight attendants’ instructions to shut off electronic devices during take off and landing, and to keep cell phones off for the entire flight. The reason given typically involves the potential for interference with the plane’s avionics.
Now, we now have another terrific reason why you should take particular care to heed their directions. This comes to us from the Aviation Herald:
An Air France Airbus A320-200, registration F-GKXF performing flight AF-2220 from Paris Charles de Gaulle (France) to Tel Aviv (Israel), was enroute at FL280 about 5nm north of Basel (Switzerland), when upon checking in with Swiss Radar the crew reported they had a foreign object on board and were considering to divert. 4 minutes later the crew declared Mayday, Mayday, Mayday reporting they had some “foreign noise” on board and decided to divert to Basel/Mulhouse Airport (Switzerland/France), where the aircraft landed safely about 20 minutes later.
The noise in question was a strange “beeping.”
Passengers reported a bleeping sound was heard in about the 5th seat row in the cabin, cabin crew was called and tried to determine the source of the bleeping however could not find anything, the sound was considered to originate from a bomb. The captain was informed and decided to divert. The aircraft stopped in a remote area of Mulhouse’s Airport, passengers disembarked and the aircraft was searched.
Despite a fairly intense search, the crew was unable to locate the source of the sound and decided to get on the ground as quickly as possible and let the professionals find the phantom device.
The search was finally successful. The report continues:
Following the search the passengers were told the bleeping sound was the reminder call of a BlackBerry which hadn’t been turned off.
A beeping BlackBerry!
Air France said the aircraft diverted to Mulhouse due to a technical incident, the passengers were taken to hotels over night and are to continue their journey in the afternoon of Mar 1st.
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killertofu
Posted on March 5, 2012 at 8:43amAs a pilot, I’m actually ok with this, despite the absurdity. We’re trained that ANY time we feel the the safety and security of our passengers is at risk, get the plane on the ground, and get everyone there safely. The pilots never heard the beeping and had to rely upon the reports of the cabin crew. It sounds to me like the cabin crew is really where either the effort to find the item, or the communication with the flight crew broke down. You bet your a$$ though, if one of my flight crew told me there was a suspect item on board emitting a beeping sound that they couldn’t find…I’d have done the same thing.
Report Post »Kinnison
Posted on March 4, 2012 at 10:04amCommercial multi-engine passenger aircraft cost tens of millions of dollars per copy, and more millions to fly and maintain. Why is it that the companies who design and build them cannot simply screen their electronic systems from the relatively weak battery-powered signals put out by a Blackberry or an iPhone? This is ridiculous.
Report Post »RightThinking1
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 10:32pmAh…, Air Chance. Well that would be like the French, non? Surrender first, ask questions later…
Report Post »And yeah, sure, all bombs beep before exploding…, oh wait, that’s in the movies….
sensible99
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 5:54pmEverybody knows that bombs make a beeping sound just like in cartoons and action movies (sarc). This would be even funnier if passengers had reported hear a “ tick tock tick tock”
Report Post »TheBurningTruth
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 6:36pmAnd these bombs ALWAYS have big red LEDs counting down the time.
Report Post »seldomscene
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 6:49pmThe reason..the only reason for not using phones on an airplane is that it lights up about 30,000 cell towers. The airlines have been paid off to tell us lies.
Report Post »tckid17
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 2:15pmBlackberrys’ suck and are way inferior to the iphone.
Report Post »BarackStalin
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 3:16pmNow you cant’ say “mom” or “beep” on an airplane or men will come and put you in a cage.
If terrorism is designed to incite terror, then I would have to say they are pretty successful.
Report Post »dmerwin
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 1:45pmTwo things about this story:
Report Post »1. Had the passengers been informed that they could resume use of devices, This typically happens when the plane starts to level off after takeoff. If they had not, the owner of the device should have to compensate the fellow passengers for the diversion.
2. I had heard the FCC and or FAA had determined that there was no real risk as previously assumed. If so why hasn’t that rule been changed, at least in the US.
markdido
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 2:21pmHell, the FAA is considering allowing pilots to carry publications and charts on iPads, instead of having to lug around paper copies.
So how is having a woking electronic device inches away from critical electronic equipment in the cockpit safer than some kid playing his Nintendo back in 38C?
Report Post »TheBurningTruth
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 6:39pmActually, what really bothered me about this story is that any passenger would have a fight attendant standing over them trying to figure out what the beeping sound was and not think, “Duh! it seems to be coming from pocket! I wonder if it’s my Blackberry!”
It seems inconceivable that nobody was able to figure out just what it was.
Report Post »killertofu
Posted on March 5, 2012 at 8:48amWe navigate with our iPads. We had to undergo a very strict FAA approval process to get there though, which included flight testing of our iPads against our specific instrumentation. Results were: obviously that none of them interfered. I use my iPad now when I’m not flying (i.e. as a passenger) to track the flight along our route. Cabin crews usually get a kick out of it.
Report Post »FYI
swoods08
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 1:16pmROFL!! I work as a cell phone tech and I know EXACTLY what sound they are referring too.
Report Post »Stevsea
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 12:23pmIf I can refrain from smoking on a flight, people can refrain from using their electronic gadgets. Put them in your luggage and read a book. End of problem.
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 3:25pmI would prefer that all civilians carry their guns in an exposed holster and there be no tsa; I would feel much safer than what we have now.
Report Post »Toxic Pirate
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 11:59amObviously the French could find there ass with both hands…let alone an alarm clock
Report Post »ThePostman
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 11:27amI don’t think there has EVER been a real bomb built that “beeps”. Sure, in James Bond movies, and every movie ever made with Bruce Willis or that crazy Jew-hater. But in the real world, bombs do not beep.
I wonder if the TSA has guidelines for beeping bags? Ya think? They are idiots, you know. The dumbest among us. They probably do, in spite of overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
We are living in an age of utter and complete hysteria. School kids get their meals replaced, old ladies get arrested for “being librarians”, children in diapers are being strip searched, Romney is the republican nominee, this is a mindless world we live in.
Report Post »ThePostman
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 11:30amThe only logical approach to such a mindless world is to make money hand over fist while the masses commit hari-kari. Hence, the wealth gaps expands. Some of us are getting richer than Midas, while some of us get fondled by fat men in uniforms who would not otherwise be capable of getting a job at pizza hut.
Report Post »Baddoggy
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 11:46amI wish someone would put a beeper in a dirty diaper…maybe a dirty adult diaper,,,,
Report Post »Toxic Pirate
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 11:57amThats funy “crazy Jew hater”. But I do like Mel Gibson movies …… some
Report Post »db321
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 12:08pmDid the Phone just mysteriously get on board all by it self – nobody said Oh – that’s my phone that is beeping – don‘t panic I’ll turn it off.
Report Post »AnAmerican111
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 11:27amOK. You can be fairly certain that any Towel-Head bomb will not be beeping…………
Report Post »They may be stupid but com’on!
watashbuddyfriend
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 11:16amHmmmm, well, looks , and sounds like another move to have the apps automatically turned off, so as to control the Idiot who left his/her’s on, when told to turn them off! Watch the other hand!
Report Post »Slowman101
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 11:00amThe beeping is no big deal. It’s the quiet ones you have to worry about.
Report Post »HKS
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 10:42amDoes anyone else notice how fast the mysterious death of Andrew Breitbart has been removed from all discussions on all the media outlets? It’s almost like all of them are under some direction. I think there is a lot more to this story and it’s being swept under the rug. It’s got that wet dog smell.
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 10:52amIt’s hard to believe he was out with no security like that.
Report Post »AmericanStrega
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 4:46pmI just checked (at 3:46pm Central time) and you’re right. WTF?
Report Post »Temporal
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 10:41amIt‘s what doesn’t “beep” or “buzz” that you should worry about.
Report Post »RightPolitically
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 10:37amJumpy, jumpy. Wonder what that little misadventure cost Air France?
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 10:36amWas Alec Baldwin on board?
Report Post »NancyBee
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 11:55amlol
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