The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said on Monday that it has issued a special airworthiness information bulletin with recommended steps for pilots and manufacturers to take prior to the deployment of 5G networks in the United States on December 5
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 02nd November, 2021) The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said on Monday that it has issued a special airworthiness information bulletin with recommended steps for pilots and manufacturers to take prior to the deployment of 5G networks in the United States on December 5.
"Deployment of 5G wireless broadband networks scheduled for December 5 has risk of potential adverse effects on radio altimeters in aircraft. Requests from manufacturers and pilots included," the FAA said in the safety notice.
In February, the Federal Communications Commission issued licenses to several wireless network providers to use 5G frequencies, with conditions about deployment timing and parameters. The FCC will allow operations in certain sections of the 5G frequency band in 46 markets starting on December 5.
In preparation for the deployment, the FAA said it recommends that radio altimeter manufacturers complete analysis or testing of equipment either in production, supported, or still being employed, to determine the susceptibility to interference from 5G.
The FAA requested aircraft manufacturers to submit approximate numbers of each radio altimeter model installed on each aircraft currently in service in the US. They also requested that they test and analyze the effects of loss of function, and erroneous or misleading radio altimeter data from potential harmful interference caused by 5G.
Pilots and other aircraft operators were recommended by the FAA to remind passengers that all portable electronic devices should be turned off, protected from accidental activation, and set to a non-transmitting mode or turned off, the notice said.
Operators were also told by the FAA to ensure their pilots are aware of the potential degradation of radio altimeter capabilities and any means to compensate for in-flight radio altimeter anomalies, including erroneous altimeter readings and loss of altimeter function, the notice added.
