[KingOfB]

This reads like terrible journalism. "This is one metric used for safety and this one device can't possibly violate that one metric, so the ban is arbitrary." Taking the words of this one test of one device and then jumping to the conclusion that the FAA restriction is arbitrary is deceptive trolling.

http://www.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine/aero_10/interf...

"Emissions at the operating frequency were as high as 60 dB over the airplane equipment emission limits, but the other emissions were generally within airplane equipment emission limits. One concern about these other emissions from cell phones is that they may interfere with the operation of an airplane communication or navigation system if the levels are high enough."

I would agree that the recommendations are strongly based in paranoia, and I'm completely ok with that. Being based on inertia, and policy vs the latest science is something no one wants to see, but it will take a lot more than a NYT pseudo-test to change it.