If you’ve been keeping track of news about the 5G network you may have read that the original rollout of 5G was delayed due to the FAA’s request for time to research and determine if the new network would be safe for aviation. The FAA collaborated with wireless carriers AT&T and Verizon to complete these tasks. On January 28, 2022, the FAA released a statement on their determination from their research.
In the statement, the FAA shared that they had worked with the aforementioned wireless providers to take steps to enable more aircraft to safely use key airports while still enabling more towers to deploy 5G services. Both AT&T and Verizon provided more precise data about the exact location of wireless transmitters, and they supported a more thorough analysis of how 5G C-band signals interact with sensitive aircraft instruments.
In the days leading up to the January 28 statement, the FAA also released statements on measures for certain aircraft that could experience safety problems from interference with the 5G network. On January 25, the FAA issued an Airworthiness Directive prohibiting Boeing 747-8 747-8F, and 777 airplanes from landing at certain airports where 5G interference could occur. Two days later, the FAA released another Airworthiness Directive revising the landing requirements for Boeing 737 MAX airplanes at airports where 5G interference is possible.
The FAA also said in the January 27 press statement that their collaboration with AT&T and Verizon had allowed the agency to clear approximately 90 percent of the United States commercial aircraft fleet including the Boeing 737 MAX for most low-visibility approaches in 5G deployment.
The reason for both Airworthiness Directives for the specified aircraft is that many systems on these aircraft rely on the radio altimeter. The Airworthiness Directives do not apply to landings at airports where aircraft radio altimeters are deemed safe and reliable in the 5G C-band environment or in airports where 5G is not deployed.
The FAA also stated that compliance with the new Airworthiness Directives should occur within two days of the effective date. Read all of the FAA’s recent statements regarding the 5G network and aviation safety here.
