The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently announced their intentions to require passenger and cargo aircrafts in the U.S. to have 5G C-Band-tolerant radio altimeters or install approved filters by early 2024 (February).

This proposed rule is similar to the one that took place back in December 2021 – which prohibited passenger and cargo flight operations in the vicinity of 5G C-Band wireless transmitters unless the FAA specifically approved them – per Reuters.

The Rule Would Support the FAA’s Preventive Approach

Potential 5G service interference with airplane altimeters – which gives data on a plane’s height above the ground and are crucial for bad-weather landings – is a concern some have, but this rule would support the FAA’s preventative approach.

The FAA estimates that out of 7,993 U.S. registered aircrafts that would need revisions, approximately 180 would require radio altimeter replacements and 820 would require the addition of filters to comply with the proposed order.

Additionally, a program, Safety Management System (SMS), – has been required of U.S. airlines since 2018 – is a set of policies and procedures where companies identify, monitor and address potential operational hazards early on, before they become serious problems.

Furthermore, the FAA has suggested a requirement that airlines revise airplane flight manuals to prohibit low-visibility landings after June 30th, unless retrofits have been completed on that airplane. Which led Verizon and AT&T voluntarily agreed to delay some C-Band 5G usage until July 2023, as air carriers continue to work on airplanes to ensure they will not face interference.

The public comment period on this proposed rule will last 60 days.

Looking Ahead

Should you have any questions regarding this and how it could impact your shipments, please reach out to our team today.

Additionally, we have our weekly market updates that can provide you with relevant freight news, updates, developments across the industry, and more.

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