Will my Tomtom work on an airplane?

[ryanpa]

I am going to fly from NY to LA this Christmas. Just wondering if I turn on the device during the flight, will my tomtom show my current position? Does anyone try this before????

Thanks... can't wait to try it...

 

[Medic]

I am going to fly from NY to LA this Christmas. Just wondering if I turn on the device during the flight, will my tomtom show my current position? Does anyone try this before????

Thanks... can't wait to try it...

I think for safety purposes operating the device is prohibited inside an aircraft.

--Phil

 

[sparky672]

I am going to fly from NY to LA this Christmas. Just wondering if I turn on the device during the flight, will my tomtom show my current position? Does anyone try this before????

Thanks... can't wait to try it...

Search this forum because I read about it here already. It's supposed to work.

 

[2extreme983]

https://www.tomtomforums.com/showthread.php?t=3807&highlight=airplane

Yup it works...this plane went 550 mph!

 

[46jimbo]

It would be best to clear its use with a flight attendant first. Many airlines have no objection, though. After all, it's only a receiver and it doesn't broadcast anything.

I've used it and it's very interesting. Make sure you have a window seat though. It's best to view your progress in 'Browse map' mode. You can zoom in and out to the level you want.

 

[ryanpa]

thanks you guys for the quick response!!!

 

[geocacher]

You can use it on a plane. GPS recieves and does not transmit signals, so it is safe. I do it all the time. Just make sure you sit near a window. It does not read, work very well on the aisle. It is cool to watch yourself go over the USA.

 

[Boyd]

I've done it too with a Garmin GPS. Took a minute to get a fix, but it was very cool to watch things fly by when you zoomed all the way in to the map. Actually it was even more interesting on the Garmin unit when I viewed the US Topo maps.

 

[Nextourer]

Yeah it works. 800km/h!! haha.. nice to know where you are.

 

[Three3]

It has worked some times for me. Depended on the orientation of the plane, the window, the satellites, etc.

You could run afoul of the rules if Bluetooth were active on your TomTom. But with no Bluetooth, a TomTom is simply a radio receiver. And they are legal.

As long as I was certain that I wasn't putting out signals, I'd tend not to ask the flight attendant. He/she probably has pretty limited understanding of things technical and might simply tend to give the conservative answer.

As they say, "It’s easier to ask forgiveness than to get permission."

 

[geocacher]

Best thing to do if you are going to use it is to turn it on when you get on the plane while you are still at the gate so it can get the fix of sattelites.

 

[EdFromOhio]

Best thing to do if you are going to use it is to turn it on when you get on the plane while you are still at the gate so it can get the fix of sattelites.

Sorry to revive an old (but interesting) thread.

I tried it on a Southwest flight this week but couldn't get it to lock onto a signal for over 5 minutes. It was a Boeing 737-700 aircraft. Held the back of the 540TM against the window and everything - no dice.

According to Southwest's list of "approved electronic devices", GPS devices are permitted above 10,000 feet. So according to that, you shouldn't have it on while the plane is taking off or landing.

 

[- et -]

Best thing to do if you are going to use it is to turn it on when you get on the plane while you are still at the gate so it can get the fix of sattelites.

Sorry to revive an old (but interesting) thread.

I tried it on a Southwest flight this week but couldn't get it to lock onto a signal for over 5 minutes. It was a Boeing 737-700 aircraft. Held the back of the 540TM against the window and everything - no dice.

According to Southwest's list of "approved electronic devices", GPS devices are permitted above 10,000 feet. So according to that, you shouldn't have it on while the plane is taking off or landing.

Some electronic equipment is considered acceptable for use during flight and other equipment is not - and the rules can sometimes vary with the country and/or the airline. Most operators will allow a GPS in flight, but some may not, so it's a good idea to check before you turn one on.

As far as I am aware, all passenger electronic equipment is banned from use during take-off and landing - on all airlines. All of the operators with which I am familiar make such announcements prior to take-off and at the start of descent.

With best wishes,
- Tom -