John Levine wrote:
In addition to all of the offered AC services others have mentioned, some planes have power outlets for vacuum cleaners, typically behind a small panel next to a door. ISTR, these AC sockets are "airplane flavour" 115VAC @ 400Hz.
No. it's 60 Hz. See this picture of one of the outlets.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/joi/25645286/
and this page from Qantas web site
http://www.qantas.com.au/info/flying/inTheAir/communications
Don't you think that airlines would be smart enough not to install power outlets that would destroy the equipment that the customers plug into them?
I don't think the earlier poster was referring to the sockets you as a member of the travelling public are invited to use - i.e. the ones which are in your seat and labelled. Those *are* converted to 110V @ 60Hz. These are occasional sockets, discreetly mounted at floor level, usually just forward of a door, often have a flip-up cover, for plugging in bits of airline equipment. Mike