FAA Says 5G Wireless Networks Could Pose Flight Safety Risks

The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said possible interference from the new 5G wireless spectrum could pose an air safety risk and cause flight diversions.

According to Reuters.com, the FAA issued a pair of airworthiness directives that call for airplane and helicopter flight manuals to be revised to “prohibit some operations requiring radio altimeter data when in the presence of 5G C-Band wireless broadband signals.”

FAA officials still believe the “expansion of 5G and aviation will safely co-exist,” but it issued the directives to provide a framework in which the aviation and technology industries can gather more information to avoid potential issues.

Companies like AT&T and Verizon Communications revealed in November they would delay the commercial launch of C-band wireless service until January 5 to allow more research into the possible implications.

The FAA directives said the wireless broadband signals could create an “unsafe condition” unless immediate action before the January 5 deployment. The agency was concerned that “radio altimeter anomalies that are undetected by the aircraft automation or pilot, particularly close to the ground…could lead to loss of continued safe flight and landing.”

The FAA continues to work with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration and industry officials to advance the safe and swift deployment of 5G networks.

As part of the directives, the FAA said notices would “be issued, as necessary, to state the specific areas where the data from a radio altimeter may be unreliable,” but no specific airports or planes were mentioned.

Wireless companies vowed to minimize energy coming from 5G base stations and adopt preventative measures for at least six months to limit interference. Aviation industry groups said the efforts “were insufficient to address air safety concerns.”