In the latest edition of the 5G saga, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), several major US carriers, and other aviation stakeholders have been pushing for an extension to the deadlines previously given for all airlines to retrofit for new 5G altimeter requirements. The ask for an extension comes as these parties feel that there isn't enough time for all airlines and aircraft manufacturers to make such changes.

A letter to the White House

All parties signed a letter to the White House to voice their concerns over the 5G rollout deadlines, whereby Group 1 and 2 aircraft types have to get new radio altimeters by next month, and Group 3 aircraft types have until next July. From the perspective of the FAA, these deadlines are best pushed to the end of next year to give airlines and aircraft manufacturers adequate time to make the changes. The letter emphasized:

"Group 2 and 3 aircraft types primarily represent most commercial aircraft serving the US. Without the required retrofits, aircraft will be prohibited from completing Category 2 and 3 low-visibility landings."

The letter also highlighted how certifying new or updated radio altimeters is significantly time-consuming for a single aircraft. This obviously translates to how much more time-consuming the process is for airlines across an entire fleet of aircraft. And it is not just the major US carriers with hundreds of aircraft within their fleet, as non-US carriers also need similar time to retrofit their fleets.

Delta Airlines Boeing 737-900ER arrives at Los Angeles international Airport on July 30, 2022 in Los Angeles, California.
Photo: Getty Images

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Not just a domestic problem

However, the requirement of new or changed altimeters is just one of several things on the plates of non-US carriers, as most are still trying to recover in the post-pandemic era. There have also been issues with global supply chains and certification hold-ups, which have also hindered the retrofitting process for certain foreign airlines.

Should non-US carriers not be able to retrofit their aircraft in time, it could potentially disrupt the operations of these airlines regarding flights to and from the US. This is why airlines such as the Air France-KLM Group, Lufthansa, Air Canada, the International Airlines Group, and Virgin Atlantic, to name a few, signed the letter to the White House. It highlighted:

"Due to circumstances beyond our control, it will be extremely challenging for foreign air carriers to retrofit radio altimeters before the two deadlines. Failure to meet those deadlines will result in non-retrofitted carriers being prohibited from completing instrument-assisted approaches and landings."

LATAM 'LAN Chile' Airlines Boeing 787-8 takes off from Los Angeles international Airport on July 30, 2022 in Los Angeles
Photo: Getty Images

Calling for future mandates

Besides asking for an extension on the deadlines, the letter also detailed how the FAA has already identified over 100 incidents where 5G interference could have been the primary contributor that affected aircraft operations. Albeit, the incidents are currently unknown as the FAA did not specify them. Nonetheless, the letter also discussed how crucial it is for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Biden Administration to implement regulations.

The request for the implementation of regulations is to outline reasonable mitigations to be taken around airports to avert future issues as other parties start to use the spectrum. According to the letter, it is best to stop waiting until the eleventh hour before a long-term solution is implemented, not just for fifth-generation network growth but future-generation network growth and the impact on the safety of the aviation industry.

However, the FCC and the government are not expected to decide until the middle of next year. Should the request not be granted, the letter highlights that all non-retrofitted aircraft could be prohibited from the national airspace as early as February 2024. And given how rapid network growth is, the problem would only double, and more airlines could see their flight operations to or within the US be heavily impacted.

Source: FlightGlobal, Mobile World Live