Thai Airways Emergency!

[Mobi]

TG 415 from Bkk to KL emergency landing at Hat Yai. Plane de pressurised at cruising altitude, oxygen did not work, forcing emergency landing.

Jai Dee.

11.20 am

I hope he's All right.

Anyone have any news?

[george]

No good. I got the same SMS from him. Very stressful for him. No news as of yet.

[Mobi]

Nothing on the news agencies yet.

Let's hope no news is good news.

[sibeymai]

I don't recall there being an exception for the use of mobile phones in-flight in an emergency.

If the use of mobile phones in-flight can indeed interfere with the flight control and navigation systems (and I'm not saying they do) is it not somewhat irresponsible to use a mobile phone at a time when the pilots will be placing heavy demand on those same control and navigation systems to effect a safe landing, the successful completion of which may well depend on the correct functioning of those very same systems.

Jai Dee, I hope as much as anyone that it has turned out ok, but a plane load of passengers using their mobile phones may not improve the pilot's chances.

[britmaveric]

Unfortunately mobiles dont interfere with avionics - big misnomer.

[thaiflyer1]

I don't recall there being an exception for the use of mobile phones in-flight in an emergency.

If the use of mobile phones in-flight can indeed interfere with the flight control and navigation systems (and I'm not saying they do) is it not somewhat irresponsible to use a mobile phone at a time when the pilots will be placing heavy demand on those same control and navigation systems to effect a safe landing, the successful completion of which may well depend on the correct functioning of those very same systems.

Jai Dee, I hope as much as anyone that it has turned out ok, but a plane load of passengers using their mobile phones may not improve the pilot's chances.

Maybe he was already on the ground at Hat Yai when he made the text.

Good Luck anyway Jai Dee.

[george]

Just talked to him. It was a bumpy ride with no cabin pressure. JaiDee is OK though.

Phew!

[cclub75]

Just talked to him. It was a bumpy ride with no cabin pressure. JaiDee is OK though.

Did he say how the cabin got depressurized ?

[Pink Mist]

I don't recall there being an exception for the use of mobile phones in-flight in an emergency.

If the use of mobile phones in-flight can indeed interfere with the flight control and navigation systems (and I'm not saying they do) is it not somewhat irresponsible to use a mobile phone at a time when the pilots will be placing heavy demand on those same control and navigation systems to effect a safe landing, the successful completion of which may well depend on the correct functioning of those very same systems.

Jai Dee, I hope as much as anyone that it has turned out ok, but a plane load of passengers using their mobile phones may not improve the pilot's chances.

I get the impression from OP that the aircraft had already landed

[sbk]

Perhaps the sms was sent after the landing?

Lets not jump to hasty conclusions. I am sure that once he gets the chance he will let us know he is ok.

***edit*** whoops, delayed post

glad to hear all is ok and that JD and all other passengers are safe.

[sibeymai]

Unfortunately mobiles dont interfere with avionics - big misnomer.

As a computer engineer of 20 years experience I tend to agree, even more so since no convincing evidence specific to mobile phones has been established beyong the fact that radio waves can interfere with electronics.

I can recall from experience one computer system which would crash every time a navy ship turned on its weapons system within 1,000 metres so the link between radio interferance and it's effect on computers is real enough in my mind.

But the radio energy of a naval weapons system is many more times that of a planeload of passengers, probably even on an A380. Even the plane's own systems would probably generate more radio energy than all the passengers could combined.

So why airlines persist with this dogma is a mystery.

Glad to hear the plane landed safely. Three cheers for the pilots.

Edit: after re-reading the original post I apologise for assuming Jai Dee sent the sms in-flight as it appears it may have been sent after landing.

Edited November 6, 2007 by sibeymai

[pampal]

I saw a mythbusters episode where they dealt with this very question,

How do mobile phones affect avionics?

They tried many different ways of disrupting the avionics, using mobile phones with varying frequencies among other methods, and none of the tests showed the slighest amount of interference with the avionics systems.

It is indeed a misnomer.

[thai_narak]

thank god they are fine...

i was in the flight 418 two weeks ago and it was a bumpy ride as well. now i'm already pissing in my pants scared to fly home this weekend just hearing this news.

[tijnebijn]

Hope he is ok indeed .

This is exactly the experience nobody wants to be in .

Especially after what happened a couple of weeks ago .....

Must be a head cracking experience for him , you never know whatever

the captain is saying , its not what you want to hear when you up in the skies .

So long you have landed probably the fear is over , what an experience , I am

sure we are going to hear Jaydees experience about this , sorry to hear

it has got to be him , but happy to hear he is alright .

[Mobi]

Thank Goodness everyone's OK.

Must have been very scary.

[onethailand]

Glad you're ok, Jai Dee...

Edit: after re-reading the original post I apologise for assuming Jai Dee sent the sms in-flight as it appears it may have been sent after landing.

If you were on the flight do you think you would've had the presence of mind to send an SMS as the plane was descending at high speed for an emergency landing? Or would you have tried to call your wife or significant other instead of SMSing your colleagues?

Anyhow, there is plenty of evidence that mobile usage does not affect aircraft communication systems. On top of that, they don't even work until you get close to ground.

[sibeymai]

Glad you're ok, Jai Dee...

Edit: after re-reading the original post I apologise for assuming Jai Dee sent the sms in-flight as it appears it may have been sent after landing.

On top of that, they don't even work until you get close to ground.

Not according to passengers on the 9/11 flights who made plenty of calls while at altitude.

[thai_narak]

Glad you're ok, Jai Dee...

Edit: after re-reading the original post I apologise for assuming Jai Dee sent the sms in-flight as it appears it may have been sent after landing.

If you were on the flight do you think you would've had the presence of mind to send an SMS as the plane was descending at high speed for an emergency landing? Or would you have tried to call your wife or significant other instead of SMSing your colleagues?

Anyhow, there is plenty of evidence that mobile usage does not affect aircraft communication systems. On top of that, they don't even work until you get close to ground.

if i can recall correctly several people on-board the planes that crashed WTC on 9/11 made several calls and sms's to their love ones.

Edited November 6, 2007 by thai_narak

[cdnvic]

Really glad to hear he's ok.

If cell phones were a danger to aircraft they wouldn't allow them in the cabin.

[britmaveric]

Good to know Jai Dee is ok.

Main reason airlines dont want mobile usage...

1. Use airphone, makes more dosh

2. 200-300 people yapping on a mobile would be well disturbing to other passengers.

BTW received mobile call mid flight from one of my pilot mates.

[bdenner]

Oxygen supply failure is the most serious aspect of this mishap. I assume the Aircrew have an independent or even a redundant oxygen system. Anyway ‘all’s well that ends well’ for Jai Dee and his fellow passengers.

Another aspect of this is as I set here using GPRS over my mobile phone which is sitting about 40 cm from my PC speakers I hear the interference in the background, I’m sure most of you have heard it. So if my mobile interferes with my audio equipment why would it not effect avionics. I know aircraft electronics have better design and shielding but is that all it takes?

[sibeymai]

Really glad to hear he's ok.

If cell phones were a danger to aircraft they wouldn't allow them in the cabin.

It will come to that, if only for anti-terrorist reasons.

[thai_narak]

Really glad to hear he's ok.

If cell phones were a danger to aircraft they wouldn't allow them in the cabin.

It will come to that, if only for anti-terrorist reasons.

and all other electronics devices including PSP.

[cdnvic]

So if my mobile interferes with my audio equipment why would it not effect avionics?

Different frequencies, and shielding. Speakers aren't fussy and will pick up any nearby radio interference.

[ThaiPauly]

I just read the same message on my phone, and came here immediatley I saw it to check for news

just glad JD is OK...must have ben fukcing scary

Lets hope we hear more from the Big Man soon

[pampal]

The problem with using mobile in an airplane is that

A mobile used on the ground connects to one cell in the network, but at altitude it can connect to many different cells, thereby possibly causing confusion and problems in the cellular system.

If you are flying near a border, you could connect to cells in two different countries, the system cannot tell where you are because you are simultaneously connected to two different cells in two different countries.

In the USA they use mainly CDMA/TDMA cellular systems and to a lesser extent GSM systems, whereas in Thailand they are mainly on the GSM network, very different systems with different charecteristics.

Edited November 6, 2007 by pampal

[percy2]

The problem with using mobile in an airplane is that

A mobile used on the ground connects to one cell in the network, but at altitude it can connect to many different cells, thereby possibly causing confusion and problems in the cellular system.

If you are flying near a border, you could connect to cells in two different countries, the system cannot tell where you are because you are simultaneously connected to two different cells in two different countries.

In the USA they use mainly CDMA/TDMA cellular systems and to a lesser extent GSM systems, whereas in Thailand they are solely on the GSM network, very different systems with different charecteristics.

What system do Hutch use?

Cheers

[onethailand]

Wicha Noenlop, director of the airport, said none of 287 passengers onboard THAI Flight TG415 were injured when the plane made an emergency landing at 10 am. The plane left the Suvarnabhumi International airport at 9 am.

He said the pilot sought an emergency lading after there was a problem of air conditioning system in the passenger cabin.

He said the temperature in the passenger cabin was too high because of the problem.

http://nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/r...newsid=30055061

Will be interesting to see Jai Dee's take on this.

Close to ground does not mean 30,000 feet up. It also doesn't mean just before you land. If you don't believe it, try turning your cell phone on as you start to descend, and see how long it takes for you to pick up any signal at all. Just make sure any phone booting sounds are muted

In any case, the point has been made.

Edited November 6, 2007 by onethailand

[lazeeboy]

Really glad to hear he's ok.

If cell phones were a danger to aircraft they wouldn't allow them in the cabin.

It will come to that, if only for anti-terrorist reasons.

im surprised there not banned already .

[Nienke]

Gosh, pretty shocking news!

Very glad that Jai Dee and fellow passengers are ok. Although ... they need to go back in the air to continue their trip. Yikes! ... after such an experience

Nienke