The Terrorists' Next Tool in the Skies - Approved by the FAA!

I have logged over a half million air miles in the past five years.  That put's me platinum elite in almost any airline miles program.  I'm no noob when it comes to traveling and I never have a problem with TSA taking extra precautions at the security checkpoints and the gate.  One airport will tell me to take off my shoes, the next says leave them on...no problem, I comply with a smile. 

Also, I'm a fairly early adopter when it comes to technology.  I had an Apple Newton (a half PDA, half Etch-a-Sketch, half Tricorder type device) before there was a PDA or smartphone category in the marketplace.  I have a GPS/DVD headunit in one vehicle and a portable unit that I take when driving in strange new cities.

Lastly, I have a curious mind and come from a military family.  If my father wanted to lay down new ground rules for my teenager sisters, he'd ask his eight year-old son (me...then) where the loopholes were in his yet-to-be-implemented policy.

So it pains me to write this but I feel I have an obligation knowing what I know about technology, aviation, and the deviant mind.  

WHY ARE GLOBAL POSITIONING SATELLITE DEVICES (GPS) STILL ALLOWED (POST-9/11) ON MOST AIRLINES?

I scream this because returning from a cross-country vacation with my family yesterday, I spent five minutes explaining that the 2 oz. Infant Tylenol bottle (with syringe) was allowed under the less-than-four-ounces "essential non-prescription medication" language of the latest TSA-issued security bulletin to an airport employee, then proceeded to fly over multiple targets of opportunity sitting one row in front of the exit row with my wife and infant.  The 'gentleman' sitting behind me in the exit row door seat at 31,000 feet was holding a GPS unit in his hand against the window.  I'd love to share the seat letter and row number with you all, but since I was flying Southwest and there's no assigned seating, what's the point?

As an aside, doesn't the 'no assigned seating' thing strike you as a security risk as well?  If some guy with a GPS device is sitting in the exit row next to the door and decides to open it over the greater Chicagoland area, wouldn't having a passenger list and seat map slightly aid in the investigation? 

Painting this scenario I guess illustrates my point.  While some airlines have banned GPS devices on their flights, most list them as APPROVED electronic devices at cruising altitude.  And the only issue being discussed by the airlines in approving or banning GPS devices is whether the radio frequency emissions will disrupt the aircraft's systems on takeoff or landing.

Excuse me?! 

Has there been no consideration of using GPS to time a non-cockpit-centric downing of an aircraft in a strategic location?  Since airlines are notoriously unpredictable with flight schedules and flying routes, what about GPS devices used as highly accurate 'timers' that aren't limited by flight schedules but rather merely 'sleep' until the plane is over a pinpoint or approximate location?

OK, OK, so now you may have pigeonholed me as Uncle Chicken Little.  But what about multiple terrorists working together in unison and tracking each other for a massive coordinated strike or missile homing beacon?  "Wait ," you say, "aren't GPS units receivers only?"  They don't transmit location do they?  Anyone with a newly equipped GPS-enabled phone or PDA knows this assumption to be false.  But here's the kicker, new GPS 'Buddy' services are popping up every day, allowing friends, family, possessive stalker-types, and even terrorists to see where their buddies are with real-time keyhole accuracy.  One GPS manufacturer, TomTom, offers the buddy service for free with some of their compatible devices.

Powering on your TomTom shows Bob that his buddy Pete is already at the Country Club on the 5th tee box.  Bob instantly knows he can make it across town and can him on the back nine.  Mom can see Suzy really did go to the library instead of Jimmy's house (unless Suzy parked there and Jimmy picked her up at the library.)  I told you, I have a deviant mind.  Last but not least, Osama can see that his freshest faced bio-bomb is passing over Lincoln, Nebraska on a crisp Fall Saturday and a stadium full of Husker faithful will be getting a fiery flyover any minute.

How about the missle-toting, ground-based jihadist?  Tired of constantly exposing yourself in public with a Stinger on your shoulder? Are you hoarse from cursing the infidels for never running on time and wondering when your Zionist target will be in range?  Well, no more with the GPS buddy system!  Lay low until you see your buddy's avatar cross the Potomac on your four inch touch screen and Hallalujah Allah!  You pop-up like the ground hog from Caddyshack!  

Sarcasm and black humor aside, this is no laughing matter.  Allowing the use of GPS devices on commercial airliners is a major security risk.  Banning their use on board affects so few GPS 'enthusiasts' and takes away maybe a few minutes of enjoyment from their flights.  Do we really need to raid a flat near Hyde Park in the UK containing 30 empty handheld GPS boxes before the FAA and Homeland Security Department weighs the risk versus inconvenience to GPS owners and acts sensibly to ban the use of these devices on flights?

Prologue: I turned around to see the gentleman of unknown ethnic origin pointing his GPS antenna out the wideside exit window of our 737.  Semi-alarmed, I stated confidently, "You need to turn that off."  He basically told me to take a flying leap.  For all I new he was about to do just that.  I rang my call button where the flight attendant informed me with a "you interrupted my galley gossip session for this?" tone that it was an approved device.  To my horror, I sat and pondered over the next two hours, "I wonder if anyone ever saw someone playing with box-cutters on a flight during the summer of 2001?"  

There are only two courses of action:

-- Lobby those airlines that currently approve a GPS unit's use in flight to ban them.
-- Lobby the FAA, TSA, DHS, to change archaic policy of surrendering the judgement of safety and counter-terrorism pyschology to airlines that can't even figure out how to afford to give me a whole can of Diet Pepsi with all the salted products they offer me to eat.

RESOURCES:

One citizen's list of airlines allowing/disallowing GPS units here.

At TSA.gov, search for GPS, and get four entries on how the TSA is using GPS as a tool, but nothing on their examination of its use on commercial flights. 

The FAA.gov's online Cabin Safety Advisory Circular on "Use of Portable Electronic Devices Aboard Aircraft" (dated 10/02/2000) puts GPS units in the broad category of other devices under the discretion of the airlines to be deemed safe or not.  Portable Electronic Devices fall under CFR 91.21 which is listed below:

Portable electronic devices

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, no person may operate, nor may any operator or pilot in command of an aircraft allow the operation of, any portable electronic device on any of the following U.S.-registered civil aircraft:

(1) Aircraft operated by a holder of an air carrier operating certificate or an operating certificate; or

(2) Any other aircraft while it is operated under IFR.

(b) Paragraph (a) of this section does not apply to—

(1) Portable voice recorders;

(2) Hearing aids;

(3)Heart pacemakers;

(4) Electric shavers; or

(5) Any other portable electronic device that the operator of the aircraft has determined will not cause interference with the navigation or communication system of the aircraft on which it is to be used.

(c) In the case of an aircraft operated by a holder of an air carrier operating certificate or an operating certificate, the determination required by paragraph (b)(5) of this section shall be made by that operator of the aircraft on which the particular device is to be used. In the case of other aircraft, the determination may be made by the pilot in command or other operator of the aircraft.