I made it onboard and had settled into my seat for the trip but now, what, to do with my time while en route to my destination. Now, I personally, don’t have to stay in contact with my network, company or government on a moment to moment basis. Nor do I have a stock portfolio that needs my instant attention, but there are those that do have these needs and it is for them that we adjust the procedures.

Had I needed to have my electronic companion with me at my seat, instead of in the bag below, I would have carried it in my hand as I went through security. Security would have taken it from me at station #1 and examined it. Now they would not know what to look for so it was “sniffed” and then soft x-rayed. These soft x-rays are low energy and not able to harm these very new electronic devices.

Now since I had traveled with this device before, its profile is in the database and was matched with my previous scan and this model PDA’s “norm” in the master database. The security computer having made this match, AND my basic security clearance, I receive my PDA back after station #3 with a “blue sticker with the #8 on it” (for today, or whatever time scheme that they are using). My PDA fits in the clear left pocket, so that is where I put it. Nearly everyone that is heading down the concourse have a “cell phone” in the pocket. Those phones went through the same scanners as my PDA and must have passed. I am told that the x-ray image is matched with the database and then “passed or failed”. I was told that the machine was so sensitive that it could accurately read the type of battery that the device used for power. Well, or course, it could do that for this is most likely place to replace with explosive. One thing that the ‘bad guys’ don’t know is the energy and calibration of the scanner. This would make it very difficult to match the contraband to the normal battery scan.

No special training is necessary at the security stations as the profiles are added at a “National Level” and my own scan is stored locally. If a scanner at ORD or SFO needed that scan, they would request the image. All of these actions are “no brainers”.

It would be nearly impossible to pass an altered device through this check.

Later, after we had boarded the aircraft, people are reminded to set their mobile phones to ‘vibrate’ so as not to disturb others.

Here is a major change in the rules…. You may use your cell phones or Wi-Fi equipped computers at any time and your total usage is billed to your credit card. (If you didn’t pay with a credit card, you will need to prepay or deposit a sum to cover your usage.)

The airlines have entered a broad agreement with the cell service providers to allow and support the airlines offer or service coverage while in flight. The airline has comm/data links to the ground through AIRINC and INMARSAT and only increased bandwidth might be needed.

The easiest update is adding Wi-Fi (802.11b) and (802.11a) to the cabin. It is a very easy install of wireless LAN. You would have full internet access but some bandwidth limits might be needed due to data path restrictions.

Cell technology has already developed the “base station on a chip” and making ‘mini-cells’ costs far less than the present ‘over priced and under used’ air mobile service.