Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!pyrdc!netsys!vector!telecom-gateway From: wmartin@stl-06sima.army.mil (Will Martin) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Cellular Telephone Causes Airline Fire Alarm Message-ID:Date: 16 Aug 89 14:12:10 GMT Sender: news@vector.Dallas.TX.US Lines: 20 Approved: telecom-request@vector.dallas.tx.us X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@vector.dallas.tx.us X-TELECOM-Digest: volume 9, issue 303, message 10 of 12 This was on Risks -- thought it was worth getting into Telecom: >Date: Tue, 15 Aug 89 08:17:31 -0400 >From: dave davis >Subject: Cellular Telephone Causes Airliner Fire Alarm A morning radio news report here in Washington, DC reported that a commercial airline crew noted a fire alarm signal from a cargo hold in mid-flight. Upon returning to their originating airport, the cargo hold was examined carefully, and no evidence of fire was found. Apparently, a cellular telephone in a passenger's luggage had received an incoming call, that activated the smoke (I assume) detector via RF interference. This occurrence shows why we have systems engineers. That is, someone who must consider not only electromagnetic compatibility between system components, but also with other systems in the same operating environment. As a result of this event, the aircraft companies may have to redesign a lot of sensors. Dave Davis, MITRE Corp., McLean, VA ----- End of forwarded messages