A flight sensor for controlling electronic components in an aircraft includes a vibration sensor for converting structure-borne sound to electric vibration signals. A filtering device receives the vibration signals and determines the fraction thereof which is attributable to the aircraft engine, relative to the overall sound in the vibration signals. A comparator compares the engine sound with the overall sound and generates a flight condition signal based on the result of the comparison, which flight condition signal indicates a defined flight status of the aircraft, such as "flight" or "no flight". Electronic components on board an aircraft are controlled such that the emission of interfering electromagnetic waves is prevented when the flight status signal indicates that the aircraft is in flight.