Xref: utzoo comp.sys.ibm.pc:11993 rec.aviation:5674
Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!nuchat!splut!jay
From: jay@splut.UUCP (Jay Maynard)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc,rec.aviation
Subject: Re: Laptops and Airport Security
Message-ID: <374@splut.UUCP>
Date: 12 Feb 88 01:28:37 GMT
References: <1988Feb1.235615.2612@nonvon.uucp>
Followup-To: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Organization: Confederate Microsystems, League City, TX
Lines: 29
Keywords: Laptop, X-rays, in flight use
Summary: Related question: can you use it?

In article <1988Feb1.235615.2612@nonvon.uucp>, apn@nonvon.uucp (Alex P Novickis) writes:
> No need for X-rays.   I recently traveled from SFO to El Paso/TX and back
> thru San Diego.   I hand carried a laptop with me... all the security
> asked me to, after I refused to have it x-rayed, was to "Plug it in". I did,
> and they watched the machine boot... and that apparently convinced their
> naive little brains, that it was indeed not a bomb.

This matches my experience with a Compaq Plus, as well.

On a related topic: Once you get your (battery-powered) laptop on the plane
in the passenger compartment, can you use it in flight? I remember that
there was a section in the FARs that said that passengers were prohibited
from using any electronic devices; the rationale was that the magnetic field
generated would throw off the instrumentation.

Since then, though, I've read reviews of laptops comparing how useful they
were when balanced on the tray-table. This would imply that they could
indeed be used in flight.

Any enlightenment on this to be found?

(I included rec.aviation so that we could get some FAR experts involved.
Please edit the newsgroups: line when following up.)

-- 
Jay Maynard, K5ZC (@WB5BBW)...>splut!< | GEnie: JAYMAYNARD  CI$: 71036,1603
uucp: {uunet!nuchat,academ!uhnix1,{ihnp4,bellcore,killer}!tness1}!splut!jay
Never ascribe to malice that which can adequately be explained by stupidity.
The opinions herein are shared by none of my cats, much less anyone else.