Interesting https://www.wsj.com/articles/faa-sets-5g-flight-restrictions-to-avoid-possible-hazards-from-new-wireless-service-11638916886?
The Federal Aviation Administration on Tuesday outlined flight restrictions that will take effect in January when a new 5G wireless service makes its debut, even as regulators work with telecom and aerospace companies to avoid U.S. air traffic disruptions.
The FAA order pertains to a type of 5G slated to go live Jan. 5. It would restrict pilots from operating automatic landing and other cockpit systems commonly used in poor weather, to avoid possible interference from 5G in the spectrum range known as the C-band.
The FAA and aviation industry groups have said the new 5G service could interfere with radar or radio altimeters, gauges that measure the distance between aircraft and the ground. Information from those devices feeds a number of cockpit safety systems used to land planes, avoid crashes and prevent midair collisions.
The airports that would face potential disruptions will be identified in future notices, according to the FAA order, known as an airworthiness directive. Regulators and technical experts have been working to address concerns about potential safety risks to resolve a long-running dispute between the aviation and telecom industries.
Aviation industry groups have warned of potentially “debilitating impacts” from such flight restrictions, saying in a Nov. 18 letter to the FCC: “Air cargo and commercial air travel will likely cease at night and in any weather where the pilot cannot see the runway.”
In its order, the FAA said it determined that “no information has been presented that shows radio altimeters are not susceptible to interference” by the new 5G service. The FAA’s order said it affected an estimated 6,834 U.S.-registered airliners and other aircraft. A similar FAA order, also issued Tuesday, affects an estimated 1,828 helicopters.
Regulators in some countries have imposed restrictions. France has put in place some limits on 5G operations at certain airports, for example, while Japan restricts certain cell sites near aircraft approach routes.