FAA to review ban on gadgets in airplanes

The Federal Aviation Administration may be looking to reverse its ban on electronic devices during airplane takeoffs and landings, according to a new report.

Amid growing evidence that portable devices such as smartphones, tablets, and notebook computers pose no real threat to aviation safety, a spokesman from the F.A.A. told the New York Times that the agency is taking a “fresh look” at its policy governing the use of personal electronics on planes.

"With the advent of new and evolving electronic technology, and because the airlines have not conducted the testing necessary to approve the use of new devices, the F.A.A. is taking a fresh look at the use of personal electronic devices, other than cell phones, on aircraft," Laura J. Brown, a deputy assistant administrator for public affairs at the F.A.A. told the Times.