5G: FAA Proposes Airworthiness Directive Revision For Boeing 787 Aircraft

The 787-8, 787-9, and 787-10 are all part of the Boeing 787 family, and the FAA has proposed changing the 5G standards for all of these aircraft.

In order to prohibit particular landings and the usage of specific minimum equipment list (MEL) items, the FAA has suggested altering an Airworthiness Directive (AD) from February 16, 2022, as well as updating the restrictions and operating procedures sections in Boeing 787 aircraft flight manuals.
This will include methods for figuring out landing distances while navigating 5G C-band interference. The FAA proposed these revisions, citing the continuous deployment of new 5G C-band base stations, which transmissions are anticipated to cover the majority of the US at transmission frequencies of 3.7-3.98 GHz.

According to a February 2022 airworthiness directive, operators must follow longer landing distance procedures due to the 5G C-band interference. These procedures apply to all runway conditions and must be incorporated into existing flight manuals before June 30, 2023.

Additionally, the FAA has advised airlines to upgrade or replace the altimeters on their big commercial aircraft by July 2023 in order to avoid any potential impact on aviation safety systems caused by the implementation of 5G networks close to US airports.

Many airlines, nevertheless, have requested the FAA to extend the deadline across the US. carriers 4 America (A4A), on behalf of eleven US carriers, including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines, has asked the FAA to extend the deadline until June 2024.

There are worries that many airlines won’t have enough time to upgrade their fleets by the present deadline, which is the reason for this. A4A gave “technical realities and the continued safe operation of many aircraft” as justifications for the extension.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) issued a warning at the same time, stating that supply chain constraints, certification backlogs, and logistical difficulties would make it difficult for many airlines to fulfill the initial date.

The potential for 5G technology to interfere with aviation technology, particularly with radio altimeters that use a similar frequency, is one of the biggest worries. The FAA placed restrictions on specific radio altimeter devices that are used close to antennas in 5G networks in order to assure flight operations safety.
This is due to the fact that, according to the US aviation regulator, the implementation of 5G technology entails a number of variables, including power levels, frequencies, and proximity to flight operations, all of which call for special considerations.

Experts in aviation safety are concerned about the possibility of 5G signal interference since it could result in the loss or erroneous reporting of radar altitude data. The security of flight operations can be at stake as a result of this.