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Dangdut and phone sex fly into cockpits

Source
Jakarta Globe - May 12, 2012

Rizky Amelia – A senior Indonesian pilot said that unwanted dangdut songs and even phone sex often clog radio communications as pilots enter Indonesian airspace, distracting them from their work.

"Foreign pilots entering Indonesian airspace often say 'we're flying into hell,'" Jeffrey Adrian, a senior pilot working with flag carrier Garuda Indonesia Airways, said on Saturday.

Jeffrey said "frequency leakage" has caused phone conversations and radio broadcasts to be heard in the cockpit.

"We often hear dangdut songs, drama and jazz music when entering certain regions," Jeffrey said. "Phone calls between people can also be heard – I even once heard people having phone sex."

Jeffrey said that the frequency leakage often disturbs pilots, especially while they're listening to Air Traffic Control. "[Pilots] have to work extra to listen to the guidance from ATC."

In the wake of the tragic Sukhoi passenger jet crash, speculation has been swirling regarding the cause of the accident. Roy Suryo, a telecommunication expert, denied rumors that a cell phone might have interfered with the plane's navigation system.

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