How to Utilize the FAA Policy Changes: 10 Tips for Saving Power on Your Mobile Device - Olmec Skip to main content

How to Utilize the FAA Policy Changes: 10 Tips for Saving Power on Your Mobile Device

By November 2, 2013March 6th, 2023Technology News

1377008_in_flightThe Federal Aviation Administration recently announced that they will expand the use options for travelers and their portable electronic devices. This long-standing policy restricted use of electronics during takeoff and landing, and were originally put into place in the 1950s; but studies done on the advanced systems show no evidence that the consumer electronics could cause a disruption.

This expanded use will increase the available time for in-flight productivity. Integrating a couple of simple habits will save the battery life on your mobile device.

  1. An airport lobby is also a great place to work on projects, and is also an ideal time to check your battery status. Have your charger and a USB cable with you. Many airports offer free charging stations with power outlets and USB ports. A power source may also be available on the flight, but could have voltage restrictions. Utilizing the charging station before your board will ensure you are ready for the duration of the flight.
  2. When not using the device, place in standby mode. The screen display is the largest consumer of power.
  3. Close all applications that you are not using. Leaving the app open in the background will use up the power supply and you won’t even realize it.
  4. Turn off the phone vibration function. When the vibration is activated, a special device in the phone uses power to operate the feature.
  5. Turn off GPS. When the GPS receiver is active it will continually look for satellites, but the information isn’t needed when not navigating.
  6. Turn off Wi-Fi. The networking transmitter uses quite a bit of power – even when the device is not connected to a network. When Wi-Fi is turned on it will continue to look for a network.
  7. Turn off Bluetooth. For the same reasons you turn off Wi-Fi, this is a simple power-saving trick.
  8. Set your screen timeout to the shortest length possible.
  9. Decrease the screen brightness.
  10. Turn to Airplane Mode when on board. The loosened requirements show that having the phone on and searching cell towers will not have an effect on safe plane operation, but it can be a fast drain to your battery. Even with the FAA changes, a call can still not be made in-flight. Using airplane mode is the quickest way to disable all the services that you don’t likely need – Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS, data and cellular service.

Installing a power management app can bring all device controls to one area. Allowing you to activate and deactivate the various systems, such as the radio, screen, data or GPS. Some apps will also guide you through pre-set options based on how aggressively you need to control power usage. Keep in mind, if you don’t need the device on standby the best way to save power is to turn it off.

Jason Manteiga

Jason J. Manteiga, Vice President of Olmec Systems, has been part of the company for over the past 20 years. He believes that having a great work environment and supportive team, is the ultimate key to success. Since being in the IT realm for over 25 years, Jason, along with Olmec Systems, has been on the Inc. 5000 “List of America’s Fastest Growing Private Companies” and Channel Futures MSP 501 “Top Managed Service Providers in North America,” along with other awards and nominations. Jason earned his Bachelor Degree in Information Systems from the New Jersey Institute of Technology. He also holds certifications in Microsoft MCSE, VMWare VCP, and Cisco CCNA. In his spare time, Jason is a contributor for The Center for Social & Legal Research (Privacy Exchange) and a member of the Morris County Chamber of Commerce. His hobbies include cycling and kayaking. He currently lives in New Jersey with his wife, two daughters and son.