Starting July 1, some planes won’t be able to fly because of 5G connectivity

Starting July 1, some planes won’t be able to fly because of 5G connectivity

As reported by The Wall Street Journal, starting July 1, all aircraft in U.S. airspace will not be able to land in poor visibility conditions without upgraded airborne radar altimeters.

Such severe restrictions are the result of increased capacity of 5G networks by U.S. operators, which could potentially interfere with aircraft. To avoid this, they will have to be fitted with special additional equipment.

The increase in the capacity of 5G networks was preceded by years of debate between the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) over concerns about the negative impact of 5G signals on the operation of onboard altimeters. As a result, a compromise was reached between the two on the July 1 of this year.

As of today, about 80% of U.S. civil aircraft have already undergone modernization. It should be fully completed by February 2024.

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