Measured emissions from regulated and unregulated passenger and crew devices

Most articles on electronic device emissions are written from the viewpoint of the manufacturer trying to comply with one or more of the various EMI regulations that must be satisfied in-order to offer that device for sale into it's intended markets. The manufacturer's interest is not in understanding the impact his device may or not have in the environment, but in passing a laboratory test specified by the regulating agency. This paper takes the view of the airlines which are connected with the potential that the emissions from the passenger, crew, and airport portable electronic devices may have on the aircraft's avionics that may impact safety or incur additional cost to the airlines. The author had the opportunity to measure PED emissions in an airport environment during the last two years and to ask what these measurements might mean to the airlines. This paper first presents results of emissions measured in the aircraft operational environment. Then the interpretation of the measured results into potential avionics upset levels follows, which would lead to a discussion of how these levels might relate to those measured in the laboratory. The appropriateness of existing emission standards and test procedures will be discussed.