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GOOD NEWS: The FAA May Finally Stop Lying About How Your Gadgets Can Cause Plane Crashes And Actually Test The Theory

American Airlines Pilot iPad
American Airlines 777 pilot with iPad. American Airlines

The New York Times's Nick Bilton is on a one-man crusade to force the Federal Aviation Administration to rethink its blanket ban on electronic gadget use during commercial-flight takeoffs and landings.

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As far as anyone knows, there is no evidence to support the FAA's assertion that gadgets can wreak havoc with cockpit instruments and, thereby, cause planes to crash.

And now that the airlines proudly encourage their pilots to use iPads, et al, in the cockpit (see photo of American Airlines 777 pilot above), there's no evidence to suggest that the airlines actually believe this "interference" story.

But, still, the ban persists.

But now, Bilton reports, the FAA may actually start testing the theory that it has been enforcing as fact for the last couple of decades.

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If the tests reveal that there is even a tiny chance that a planeful of gadgets could bring a plane down, then of course gadget usage should be prohibited. But if there isn't any chance, then the FAA's stance is ridiculous.

If the FAA's eventual testing demonstrates that the theory is bunk, maybe we'll soon be able to use our gadgets on takeoff and landing.

Here's Nick Bilton on the latest >

FAA Gadgets
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