Narrative:

Use of portable cellular phone in main cabin caused big discrepancy in captain's and first officer's EFIS type HSI's. Cabin check and captain's P/a terminated its use and systems returned to normal. We need the word to get out to traveling public better than it has so far. Can you help? Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter is check airman with major carrier. States that similar incidents occur at rate of 1 or 2 per month. Approximately 1/2 of company aircraft of this type are EFIS equipped. Has not noted any problems on the non EFIS aircraft. Has had 2 occurrences since submission of this report. Not sure if ASRS report sent on them. Thinks ASRS should build data base so that problem can be brought to attention of proper authorities. Portable computers are not on his company list of prohibited items. Walkman type cassette player radios are prohibited. Not sure about cellular phones.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INTERFERENCE TO ACFT NAVIGATION EQUIPMENT FROM PASSENGER CELLULAR PHONE.

Narrative: USE OF PORTABLE CELLULAR PHONE IN MAIN CABIN CAUSED BIG DISCREPANCY IN CAPT'S AND F/O'S EFIS TYPE HSI'S. CABIN CHK AND CAPT'S P/A TERMINATED ITS USE AND SYSTEMS RETURNED TO NORMAL. WE NEED THE WORD TO GET OUT TO TRAVELING PUBLIC BETTER THAN IT HAS SO FAR. CAN YOU HELP? CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR IS CHK AIRMAN WITH MAJOR CARRIER. STATES THAT SIMILAR INCIDENTS OCCUR AT RATE OF 1 OR 2 PER MONTH. APPROX 1/2 OF COMPANY ACFT OF THIS TYPE ARE EFIS EQUIPPED. HAS NOT NOTED ANY PROBS ON THE NON EFIS ACFT. HAS HAD 2 OCCURRENCES SINCE SUBMISSION OF THIS RPT. NOT SURE IF ASRS RPT SENT ON THEM. THINKS ASRS SHOULD BUILD DATA BASE SO THAT PROB CAN BE BROUGHT TO ATTN OF PROPER AUTHORITIES. PORTABLE COMPUTERS ARE NOT ON HIS COMPANY LIST OF PROHIBITED ITEMS. WALKMAN TYPE CASSETTE PLAYER RADIOS ARE PROHIBITED. NOT SURE ABOUT CELLULAR PHONES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.