International rules and regulations vary widely, so you need to check with your local authorities if outside of the United States .
Naturally, the Bluetooth devices are non-essential, and not required. If in doubt, leave it off. Use of the music portion is regulated under FAA regulation 14 CFR 91.21.
NOTE: All devices should be turned off for take off, landing, or any critical phase of flight. FAA Regulation 14 CFR 91.21 restricts the use of portable electronic devices (PED).§91.21
“(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, no person may operate, nor may any operator or pilot in command of an aircraft allow the operation of, any portable electronic device on any of the following U.S.-registered civil aircraft.
(1) Aircraft operated by a holder of an air carrier operating certificate or an operating certificate; or
(2) Any other aircraft while it is operated under IFR.“(b)(5) Any other portable electronic device that the operator of the aircraft has determined will not cause interference with the navigation or communication system of the aircraft on which it is to be used.”
You can refer to Advisory Circular 91.21-1B for more information, at faa.gov
It is the responsibility of the pilot in command to control if and when ANY PED is to be used, and to ensure that the PED will not interfere with aircraft systems. If in doubt, leave it off.
Any telephone that is not approved for airborne use should not be used in flight. However, there is ample opportunity on the ground to use the cell phone for getting clearances, and closing flight plans, etc.
In practical terms, cellular phones probably will not be reliable over about 4,000’ MSL depending on terrain, population, etc.
Warning: United States FCC Regulations contained in 47 CFR § 22.925 contain prohibition on airborne operation of cellular telephones. “Cellular telephones installed in or carried aboard airplanes, balloons or any other type of aircraft must not be operated while such aircraft are airborne (not touching the ground). When any aircraft leaves the ground, all cellular telephones on board that aircraft must be turned off.”
You can now make and receive calls with the audio directed through the audio panel, and stream music to Music input #1.
Yes. The Bluetooth module can be turned off, if desired, by pushing the AUX and ADF buttons while the unit is being turned on. The module will reset when unit power is cycled.
The Bluetooth radio itself is intrinsically safe aboard the aircraft. PS Engineering has tested the audio panel to international standards (RTCA DO-160, and FAA TSO C50c) to ensure that the audio panel cannot cause interference with other systems.
If your phone requires an access code to complete the pairing, you can use 0000 (all zeros). If desired, you can change the 4-digit code needed to pair your device. Hold the button shown in the table, and turn the PMA8000BT on. You will hear a tone indicating that the code was changed.
See the table if you wish to change the audio panel's access code to “1234,” or “1111”.
| BUTTON HELD DURING POWER UP | PAIRING CODE |
|---|---|
| NAV 1 | 0000 (default) |
| NAV 2 | 1234 |
| MKR | 1111 |
In SimpleBlue™ mode, you can connect just one device.
In the SuperBlue™ mode, you can connect multiple devices, but only one telephone can be connected to the audio panel at a time.
SimpleBlue™ is the most basic functionality. The PMA8000BT can be paired and connected to one device, like a Smartphone, for both telephone and music streaming. This is the default mode as shipped by PS Engineering, and is best if the airplane has a single user, or one user at a time (a shared airplane, for instance).
SuperBlue™ allows multiple users and multiple devices to be used at the same time, with sub-routines and sequencing of connections needed to get the desired results. This is recommended for experienced Bluetooth users with multiple connection requirements.
| BUTTON HELD DURING POWER UP |
MODE |
|---|---|
| NAV 1 and NAV 2 | SimpleBlue™ |
| NAV1 and MKR | SuperBlue™ |
Yes, you can. Any tablet or portable music player that can stream music using the A2DP profile can be connected.
Every Bluetooth telephone has a little different capability. The table below shows functions we have enabled for compatible phones. The speed dial will activate the numbers stored in the location in a phone, and not in the PMA8000BT. Please understand that these devices can change.
To activate the telephone functions press and release TEL button. Then press the button listed for more than one second, until the telephone responds.
| FUNCTION | BUTTON 1 | BUTTON 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Last number redial The audio panel will redial the last number dialed from the paired telephone. When there is no call in progress, press the TEL button and then press and hold the MKR button for 1 second, or until the telephone connects and redials. |
TEL | MKR |
| Speed dial 1 NOTE: this feature ONLY works if the paired cell phone has Speed Dial numbers stored. To access the speed dial keys stored in your telephone, when there is no call in progress, press the TEL button and then press and hold the Nav 1 button (Speed dial #1) or the Nav 2 button (speed dial #2) for one second, or until the phone activates, |
TEL | NAV 1 |
| Speed dial 2 NOTE: this feature ONLY works if the paired cell phone has Speed Dial numbers stored. To access the speed dial keys stored in your telephone, when there is no call in progress, press the TEL button and then press and hold the Nav 1 button (Speed dial #1) or the Nav 2 button (speed dial #2) for one second, or until the phone activates, |
TEL | NAV 2 |
It is most likely that the PMA8000BT dropped the pairing either because of an added pair that exceeded the limit, or because of some corruption in the stored information. Simply un-pair by deleting the PMA8000BT in your Bluetooth phone, and re-pairing with the audio panel. This is often true if you leave the Bluetooth range, and return while the audio panel is still on.
Some iPhone models also require that you manually select the PMA8000BT as a Bluetooth handset. In “Settings”, “Accessibility” at the bottom there is a selection for “Incoming Calls.” Select “Headset” instead of “Default.,” to activate the PMA8000BT. This should only be the first time you connect.
Sometimes, the stored list of devices gets corrupted so you need to erase and reinitialize the list. This is done by turning the audio panel off, and then holding the Nav 2 and MKR buttons, and turning the unit back on again
If your laptop is compatible as Bluetooth A/V source (not all are), yes. Just add the PMA8000BT as a Bluetooth device as you would a stereo speaker device. There are also Bluetooth devices available (such as the Sony TMR-BT10A Bluetooth Transmitter Adapter) to plug into the audio output jack that will enable you to stream music to the audio panel. Note: laptop computers with spinning hard drives may fail to work above 7,500’, due to a loss of air pressure on the disc mechanism.
No. However, you can change the music distribution option on your panel to “Music 1, all headsets.” See the pilot guide of your panel for instructions.
Check your Smartphone, and be sure that it is paired with the PMA8000BT as a “speaker” or “wireless speaker” in A2DP mode