I'm flying to Cleveland tomorrow, and since I'll be renting a car once there I'm bringing along my Garmin nuvi. Anyone know if I can turn the GPS on while on the plane? Assuming it can lock onto the satellites, I thought it would be interesting to see the plane's speed and route and all that. Not sure if the FAA/airlines allow it. It's Continental on the way there and Delta on the way back.
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GPS on a plane?
- Thread starter yg17
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If you're sitting beside a window you can get it to work albeit unreliably. As a receive-only device, there's approximately zero chance it could interfere with anything on the plane. That said, don't do it, because flight attendants don't know anything about how GPS works, and once they have noticed you trying to use it there will be no explaining it to them. That is if they don't outright panic at seeing a passenger pointing an electronic device out the window. Makes no sense, but it doesn't have to.
Some airlines allow it, some don't but that means nothing because the real issue is that some flight attendants allow it and some don't regardless of the airline. I say give it a shot, see if it works, and if you get scorned by some cranky old Flight attendant put it away without protesting.
It's generally allowed, but it rarely works. I've tried it. Planes are pretty well shielded, so it's hard to get a signal. Even if it can get a signal, it's hard to get a position lock, since you are moving so fast and generally have moved quite a ways since you last turned it on. Not worth messing with, IMO.
Not true when you're using a gps with a modern chipset. I've used a garmin gpsmap 60 on several flights and got a good lock on the satellites. It wasn't
even necessary to hold it against the window, I could hold in on my knee.
( which of course made the use of the gps less conspicious ...)
Actually it's 'rarely' allowed, often explicitly forbidden and unless you ask and receive permission from the cabin attendants I would caution against it.
In todays security climate waving anything electronic near a window is very likely to get you a welcome committee when you land.
I've used them and it works fine in many cases but that was some time ago. These days I don't even bother asking as I know the answer!
In todays security climate waving anything electronic near a window is very likely to get you a welcome committee when you land.
I've used them and it works fine in many cases but that was some time ago. These days I don't even bother asking as I know the answer!
I would hope that most flight attendants would know a GPS receiver when they saw one. Perhaps I'm giving them too much credit.
Also, if the flight attendants aren't being cooperative about GPS and you want to know how fast you're going, etc...just ask. They'll go up to the flight deck and get the answers from the pilots. I've never met a pilot that doesn't enjoy answering questions of that sort.
I understand the potential to get busted with a regular GPS, but with the iPhone, it's just going to look like you're playing with your music. As for getting a signal, you should have no problem. GPS works great in the front office of the airplane, odds are it'll work alright in the back.
GPS works in the cockpit because the antenna is where it needs to be for it to work. As has already been said, whether you get the chance to find out is up to the flight attendants, and they're not sure, the captain.
besides the large metal body of the airplane, there's not much to block the GPS signal. Try getting close to a window.
My understanding is that there is an external antenna for the "front office's" GPS.
This is correct. Thus why I said "great" vs "alright". My hiking GPS can get a signal under a thick canopy of trees, inside, under overhangs, etc etc. Inside an airplane will work no problem.
I used to be scared that if I opened up my laptop on the plane that some program would come on screen and let me have the ability to fly the plane. Yes, I know. I'm sad.
When I have Airplane mode on and try to use GPS, I get the "Your location could not be determined" message. So I would imagine that it would not work on your iPhone with Airplane mode on...
Wirelessly posted (Nokia 5800 Tube XpressMusic : Mozilla/5.0 (SymbianOS/9.4; U; Series60/5.0 Nokia5800d-1/10.0.010; Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 ) AppleWebKit/413 (KHTML, like Gecko) Safari/413)
If you want to hide it, try putting it in your shoe. They love it when people do that.
If you want to hide it, try putting it in your shoe. They love it when people do that.
It will work but you better have a window seat and hold it up to the window.
I've got my TomTom to find a satellite but it takes forever to lock on. 603MPH was the fastest it recorded...
I've got my TomTom to find a satellite but it takes forever to lock on. 603MPH was the fastest it recorded...
That works until you have to take your shoes off and put them through the X-ray machine