The FAA is working with the aviation and wireless industries to find a solution that allows 5G and aviation to safely coexist, agency officials said in a statement released Dec. 23, 2021.
Originally planned to roll out Dec. 5, 5G from AT&T and Verizon was put on hold for about a month while the wireless companies assessed potential impact on aviation safety. Lawmakers and aviation advocates are pushing for the delay to continue until a solution is found that ensures aviation safety.
While few, if any, general aviation operations should be affected by 5G’s expansion, it is interesting to note how the FAA is mitigating potential problems.
For instance, at the same time officials released the statement, they also released a Safety Alert for Operators that notes: “Initial deployment of 5G wireless broadband networks in the C-Band is expected to begin on Jan. 5, 2022, and be limited to 46 predetermined areas known as Partial Economic Areas (PEAs). The FAA will issue NOTAMs to identify the areas, airports, and heliports where the radio altimeter is unreliable due to the presence of 5G C-Band interference.”
Agency officials will use four types of NOTAMs, according to the safety alert.
One of the NOTAM types is for airspace. According to the safety alert, an airspace NOTAM “will delineate a three-dimensional area where the radio altimeter is unreliable due to the presence of 5G C-Band wireless broadband interference. Operations identified by AD 2021-23-13 are prohibited in this airspace, unless the operator has an FAA-approved AMOC.
And Example Airspace NOTAM:
- ZHU AIRSPACE RDO ALTIMETER UNREL WI AN AREA DEFINED AS XXXNM RADIUS OF XXXXXXNXXXXXXXW (VOR/DME) SFC-5000FT AGL. HEL OPS REQUIRING RDO ALTIMETER DATA FOR OFFSHORE INSTRUMENT OPS, HOVER AUTOPILOT MODES, SAR AUTOPILOT MODES, AND CAT A/B/PERFORMANCE CLASS TKOF AND LDG NOT AUTHORIZED EXC FOR ACFT USING APPROVED ALTERNATIVE METHODS OF COMPLIANCE DUE TO 5G.
The safety alert also shows example NOTAMs for aerodrome, Instrument Approach Procedure (IAP), and Special IAP.
You can read the full safety alert here.
5G is harmful at the cellular level on humans…on everything. Microwaves. Not only on altimeters. STOP 5G!!! Destructive to life!
As an engineer, I’m tempted to attempt to point out all of the physics and basic-nature-of-the-universe-type facts (plus the misused or misunderstood terminology) that make claims like this ridiculous and unsupportable. But, as an adult human being that is growing ever-more-resigned to a world where “fact” is whatever claim or “news” happens to suits one’s preferred beliefs or opinions, I recognize the futility of attempting to do so.
So, I’ll just say this: Um…no, not really.
SOUNDS LIKE ITS HAPPENING
EVEN STRAIGHT TALK IS OFFERING IT NOW