FAA wants to warn pilots and airlines about the dangers of C-band 5G interfering with aviation controls
Any decision made by the FAA is not expected to change the current rules regarding consumers’ use of smartphones on commercial flights. The FAA regulations prevent smartphone users from using their handset once the plane is off the ground. This rule was put in place “because of the potential for ground network interference,” and to prevent passengers from being subjected to hearing hours of one-sided phone conversations.
C-band signals used to deliver 5G might interfere with the operation of commercial aircraft
The features in the cockpit that could face interference from the new 5G signals help pilots land a plane in bad weather, avoid a midair collision, and prevent crashes. Airlines might be forced to cancel, delay, or divert flights in the 46 metropolitan areas where these specific 5G towers are located. However, FCC officials and the telecom industry disagree with the FAA and say that the evidence doesn’t show that 5G signals will interfere with aviation equipment.
While the C-band 5G signals run in the 3.7GHz-4.2GHz range, aviation equipment operates in the 4.2GHz-4.4GHz range. Aviation experts say that some of the frequencies used for 5G can interfere with radar altimeters which measure the distance between aircraft and the ground. If the altimeter shows a reading that is off by only a few hundred feet, certain flight-control systems can malfunction.
The CTIA says that any delay in using C-band spectrum can prevent the U.S. from taking global leadership in 5G
It isn’t clear yet just exactly what the wording of the FAA’s warning will be. The agency has the power to restrict an airline’s flight operations and can restrict flights over certain areas. Meanwhile, the FCC says that it is committed to keeping air travel safe “while moving forward with the deployment of new technologies that support American business and consumer needs.”
