Airlines warn of ‘catastrophic’ aviation issues with 5G

The deployment of 5G is causing a stir in the airline industry, and not without reason.

Just days ahead of the rollout, airline industry CEOs warned of a “catastrophic” aviation crisis as they said 5G service could interfere with the sensitive aircraft instruments used in low-visibility landings.

The deployment of 5G brings with it new combinations of power levels, frequencies, proximity to airline operations and other factors. In December, the airlines warned 5G could wreak havoc on flying.

Earlier this month, Verizon and AT&T agreed to delay until Jan. 19 launching their 5G service following airline safety concerns. At the time, airlines asked the government to intervene, citing 5G’s potential to interfere with the equipment pilots use to land planes in poor weather. It’s the service’s C-band airwave spectrum officials say could clash with signals used by a pilot’s radio altimeters.

On Monday, just ahead of Wednesday’s deployment, airline industry CEOs warned the service rollout could make a significant number of widebody aircraft unusable, potentially stranding tens of thousands of travelers.

Safety Buffer Zones Temporarily Established

The FAA Sunday announced it cleared 45% of its commercial fleet to perform low-visibility landings at airports where 5G C-band is scheduled to be deployed on Jan. 19, approving two radio altimeter models installed in a wide variety of Boeing and Airbus planes.

To read the complete article, visit IoT World Today. Read a short follow-up story here.