The US Federal Aviation Administration said Monday it may require all passenger and cargo aircraft to have 5G-safe equipment by next year.
This would potentially end theyears-long strugglebetween US carriers activating5G mobile servicein the C-band range and an aviation industry concerned that flights could be endangered by overlapping frequencies.
Early in 2022, carriers agreed totemporarily block 5G signalsaround airports until July 2023 to give airlines time to upgrade their fleet’s equipment.
Now the FAA is proposing a directive that would require all aircraft carrying passengers or cargo to have their equipment upgraded by 2024, asReutersfirst spotted.
Aircraft need to upgrade to 5G C-band-tolerant radio altimeters, which operate on frequencies near the C-band range to help planes make low-visibility landings in inclement weather, or install an acceptable radio frequency filter.
The directive would require aircraft operators to update their flight manuals to prohibit low-visibility landings after June 30, 2023, if planes haven’t updated their equipment.
Over 90% of aircraft flying into and out of all major airports in the US have either had their old altimeters upgraded or verified as safe to fly amid 5G C-band signal, according toan FAA pagetracking the issue.
