Narrative:

While at cruise altitude in VFR conditions on a lightly loaded flight the first class F/a came into the cockpit with a question and something in her hand. She showed me a small cordless telephone which belonged to one of the 2 passenger in first class and asked if the passenger could make a call with it. I said she could allow the passenger to make one call at that time only. While at home the next day, I researched the FARS and found that far 91.19 does not specifically address portable phones by name at the present time, but in the future I am not going to allow their use on board. Further research revealed that there has been a proposal by the rtca to the FAA to amend far 91.19 to actually list by name portable telephones as a prohibited device in order to clear up any confusion as to what is allowed. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: captain did not monitor to see if passenger made a phone call. Does not know what kind of phone except that it was a small light and very portable phone. Has no knowledge that the phone is acceptable for use on board an aircraft or not.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PASSENGER REQUESTED PERMISSION TO USE PORTABLE TELEPHONE IN CABIN OF MLG AT CRUISE.

Narrative: WHILE AT CRUISE ALT IN VFR CONDITIONS ON A LIGHTLY LOADED FLT THE FIRST CLASS F/A CAME INTO THE COCKPIT WITH A QUESTION AND SOMETHING IN HER HAND. SHE SHOWED ME A SMALL CORDLESS TELEPHONE WHICH BELONGED TO ONE OF THE 2 PAX IN FIRST CLASS AND ASKED IF THE PAX COULD MAKE A CALL WITH IT. I SAID SHE COULD ALLOW THE PAX TO MAKE ONE CALL AT THAT TIME ONLY. WHILE AT HOME THE NEXT DAY, I RESEARCHED THE FARS AND FOUND THAT FAR 91.19 DOES NOT SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS PORTABLE PHONES BY NAME AT THE PRESENT TIME, BUT IN THE FUTURE I AM NOT GOING TO ALLOW THEIR USE ON BOARD. FURTHER RESEARCH REVEALED THAT THERE HAS BEEN A PROPOSAL BY THE RTCA TO THE FAA TO AMEND FAR 91.19 TO ACTUALLY LIST BY NAME PORTABLE TELEPHONES AS A PROHIBITED DEVICE IN ORDER TO CLEAR UP ANY CONFUSION AS TO WHAT IS ALLOWED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: CAPT DID NOT MONITOR TO SEE IF PAX MADE A PHONE CALL. DOES NOT KNOW WHAT KIND OF PHONE EXCEPT THAT IT WAS A SMALL LIGHT AND VERY PORTABLE PHONE. HAS NO KNOWLEDGE THAT THE PHONE IS ACCEPTABLE FOR USE ON BOARD AN ACFT OR NOT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.