What is Airplane Mode on the iPhone.

Shortly after boarding a plane, the flight attendant instructs all guests onboard to turn off their cell phones for safety reasons. The radio waves emitted from a cell phone can interfere with the pilot's communications and guidance systems, potentially putting everyone on the flight at great risk. Suffice to say, the flight attendants have a darn good reason for asking that you please shut off your phone. However, as you know, the iPhone is not just a cell phone; it comes with a multitude of features, many of which do not require a connection to a wireless network of any sort.

Airplane Mode is a setting on the iPhone that turns off the phone's access to all wireless networks while still allowing you to do anything that does not cause the phone to send out any signals. Once Airplane Mode is turned on, you will not be able to access the Internet, send calls or text messages, use any apps that require Wi-Fi access, use the GPS, or use any location services. You can still, however, do things such as take photos, listen to music, play games that do not require a wireless connection, take notes, read any text messages that you have stored in the device, access the calendar, use the alarm clock, and check the time.

Always make sure to check with the flight attendant to make sure that you are allowed to keep your iPhone on as long as it is in Airplane Mode because there are a few pilots who do not want any cell phones turned on at all during the flight. Nowadays, many airlines also offer in-flight Wi-Fi service that you can check your email, browse the web, send emails, etc. during the trip. Luckily, the iPhone allows you to manually turn Wi-Fi on while in Airplane Mode so that you can make use of the Wi-Fi offered while still having all other components of the phone that can cause interference signals disabled.

Turning on Airplane Mode is simple. All you have to do is:

1. Open the Home screen.

2. Tap the Settings icon.

3. Locate Airplane Mode in the list, and turn the slider to the On position. The option to turn Wi-Fi back on, if you are allowed to do so, is located directly beneath Airplane Mode under Settings.

Notice the orange that should now appear on the status bar at the top of the screen. If you do not see the airplane icon on your screen, your iPhone is not in Airplane Mode, and you should try turning it on again.

Once you have successfully turned Airplane Mode on, you should be good to go and do not have to worry about your iPhone causing any interference problems for the pilot. Although you can no longer send text messages, place calls, browse the web, etc., the iPhone still has numerous features to keep you entertained for the duration of the flight. Remember to not turn Airplane Mode off until you are off the plane; failure to comply with the regulations is against the law and can lead to a disastrous plane crash.