Airlines Have Until 2024 To Make 5G Upgrades Under FAA AD
The proposed airworthiness directive would require passenger and cargo aircraft in the U.S. be equipped with 5G C-Band tolerant altimeters by next February.
The FAA has proposed a requirement that passenger and cargo aircraft in the U.S. be equipped with 5G C-Band tolerant altimeters by 2024. [Credit: Adobe Stock]
Key Takeaways:
The FAA has proposed an airworthiness directive (AD) mandating that all U.S. passenger and cargo aircraft be equipped with 5G C-Band tolerant altimeters or radio frequency filters by February 2024.
This directive aims to mitigate safety risks posed by 5G C-Band interference with aircraft radio altimeters, which are crucial for low-visibility operations and other flight systems.
Following previous voluntary mitigations by wireless carriers, the AD makes these retrofits mandatory and will prohibit low-visibility landings after June 30, 2023, for non-compliant aircraft.
Despite past efforts, over 100 instances of potential 5G interference have been documented, underscoring the need for this mandatory, long-term solution to ensure aviation safety alongside 5G network expansion.
The FAA is proposing an airworthiness directive (AD) that would require passenger and cargo aircraft in the U.S. be equipped with 5G C-Band tolerant altimeters or appropriate radio frequency filters by February 2024.
According to a statement sent to FLYING, “the proposed AD will continue to allow aviation and the 5G C-Band to safely coexist.”
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Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.
