20,000 Pounds of Spuds on a Plane

Why would engineers place 20,000 pounds of spuds on a plane? What could they possibly be testing? Radio frequency waves (i.e. wifi, cell phones…) interact with sacks of potatoes pretty much the same way as with you and me. And, potatoes don’t object to working odd hours or belong to unions.

 

But what were those engineers doing? As with any new or improved technology, significant research and development must occur before it ever goes into production. In the case of plane wifi testing, engineers need to balance safety and useability. The wifi signal needs to be strong enough throughout the contours of the plan to be user-friendly: yet, weak enough to not interfere with the plane’s communication system. So the next time you’re flying and texting in the friendly skies, thank a potato.