The head of the government agency in charge of wireless communications has urged the agency in charge of commercial air travel to revise its long-standing rule against the use of portable electronic devices during takeoff and landing. The Federal Aviation Administration is currently considering relaxing the rule that prohibits the use of iPads, Kindles, or other devices when an airplane is below 10,000 feet.

On Thursday, Federal Communications Commission chairman Julius Genachowski sent a letter to Michael Huerta, the chairman of the FAA, asking him to "enable greater use of tablets, e-readers, and other portable devices" during takeoff. A copy of the letter was obtained by The Hill.

"This review comes at a time of tremendous innovation, as mobile devices are increasingly interwoven in our daily lives," Genachowski wrote. "They empower people to stay informed and connected with friends and family, and they enable both large and small businesses to be more productive and efficient, helping drive economic growth and boost US competitiveness."

The Hill reports that Genachowski "pledged to work with the FAA, airlines, and manufacturers" on the FAA's review of the current rules.

The rules are theoretically designed to prevent radio interference with an airplane's instruments, but the Aviation Administration hasn't been able to find evidence that a passenger using a Kindle or iPad poses any safety risk. Indeed, the New York Times notes that the FAA gave the green light earlier this year for pilots to use iPads in the cockpit. Yet the ban on passengers using iPads during takeoff remained in place.

The FCC has its own separate ban on the use of cell phones any time during an airplane's fight. The agency considered lifting that ban in 2004, but abandoned the effort in 2007 after it found too little evidence to draw a conclusion one way or the other about the safety risks of in-flight cell phone use. The agency did approve the use of Wi-Fi cards on airplanes, making modern in-flight Internet services possible.