The leaders of a dozen airlines warn the authorities against “a catastrophic crisis” in aviation. In question, the deployment of 5G in C-band which could interfere with the navigation instruments of airliners, such as radio altimeters. These American aviation executives are calling for the suspension of this deployment.
We have already talked about it in our columns. As you may know, the FAA, the US federal civil aviation regulatory agency, has been concerned for several months about the potential effects of C-band 5G on airliner navigation instruments. .
Thus, this interference could create delays on tens of thousands of flights, while it could also prevent thousands of aircraft from landing in the event of poor visibility. Indeed, the FAA assures that 5G antennas installed near control towers may interfere with the proper functioning of the altimeters.
In the aftermath, Airbus and Boeing raised similar concerns in a letter to the US Department of Transportation. The two companies have also called for the postponement of the deployment of the new generation of mobile network. Result of this mobilization, agreement reached with AT&T and Verizon to delay 5G C-band rollout by two weeks around certain critical airports and to apply mitigation measures.
The US Air Force is sounding the alarm
However, this period is obviously too short in the eyes of the airlines to ensure that there will be no major disruptions. In a direct letter to White House National Economic Council Director Brian Deese, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, FAA Administrator Steve Dickson, and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Jessica Rosenworth, executives of 10 airlines are warning authorities of a “catastrophic aviation crisis”.
According to them, the introduction of 5G near airports could cause a “stoppage of American trade” andn due to the possible immobilization of a significant number of aircraft. “Immediate response is required to prevent significant operational disruption to passengers, carriers, supply chains and the delivery of critical medical supplies,” write these executives just two days before the entry into service of 5G C-band.
They continue:On a day like yesterday (this Sunday, January 16, 2022), more than 1,100 flights and 100,000 passengers would be subject to cancellations, detours or delays”, assure the bosses of American Airlines, Delta Airlines, United Airlines or even the airline divisions of UPS and FedEx. Faced with the risks involved, these US aviation officials are calling for a pause in the rollout of 5G.
A pause in the deployment of 5G
“Given the short time remaining and the significance of this completely unavoidable economic calamity, we respectfully request that you support and take all necessary actions for 5G to be deployed with the exception of when the towers are too close to the tarmacs of airports”, they demand.
Furthermore, they would like to inform the authorities mentioned above that if there are flight restrictions, they will not be limited to bad weather conditions (referring to altimeters). “Many modern aircraft safety systems will be deemed inoperable, leading to a much bigger problem than we knew. Aircraft manufacturers have informed us that a large part of the in-service fleet may need to be permanently grounded”. The day before the publication of this letter, the FAA said it has cleared about 45% of US commercial aircraft low-visibility landings at many airports where 5G C-band will be rolled out from Wednesday.
Source: The Guardian
