The 5G-airlines crisis was mostly averted. Here’s what happened – and what we still do not know
But we’re not in the clear yet.
The agreement to delay 5G deployment around airports is only a temporary fix, and it’s not clear if all the negotiating parties have a specific deadline they̵[ads1]7;re working towards. A significant number of planes still have not been cleared to land in those most dangerous situations. Regional air carriers have been crying out that they’ve been left out of discussions and are still facing long- and short-term impacts. And, to the public’s knowledge, a permanent solution to the issue still has not been settled on.
Here’s everything we do – and do not – know about the situation.
What’s the deal with the FAA ‘clearing’ some planes but not others?
Radar altimeters are devices that use radio waves to gauge how far an aircraft is off the ground, and they’re essential for commercial airliners to land in bad weather. At the root of the ongoing problem is the fact that 5G frequencies Verizon and AT&T have just deployed, known as the C-band, are very close to the frequencies used by radar altimeters, sparking concerns about interference.
In a statement Thursday, the FAA said it issued more approvals that allow 78% of the US commercial airliner fleet to perform low-visibility landings at airports near where wireless companies deployed 5G. Essentially, regulators said they now deemed it safe for aircraft that used one of 13 types of radar altimeters.
The approved models include:
- All Boeing 717, 737, 747, 757, 767, 777, 787, MD-10 / -11 jets
- All Airbus A300, A310, A319, A320, A330, A340, A350 and A380 models
- Some Embraer 170 and 190 regional jets
But of course, more than 20% of the United States’ commercial aircraft fleet has not been approved. And the FAA warned that it anticipates that “some altimeters will be too susceptible to 5G interference.”
“To preserve safety, aircraft with those altimeters will be prohibited from performing low-visibility landings where 5G is deployed because the altimeter could provide inaccurate information,” the agency said.
The agency also warned that the buffers that are reducing 5G signal strength around certain airports are essential for keeping safe operations going.
It is not clear, however, why the FAA and altimeter manufacturers could not have done these evaluations sooner.
What’s the deal with regional carriers?
They’re still in limbo, according to Faye Malarkey Black, who as Regional Airline Association president represents the carriers connecting larger hubs to dozens of smaller cities around the country.
Regional flights have brands like American Eagle, Delta Connection, and United Express, and they’re contracted out to companies or subsidiaries like Envoy, ExpressJet, Republic Airways and SkyWest Airlines.
Bombardier jets, which are frequently flown by regional carriers, have not gotten the green light for their altimeters. And Black said the rural airports will still “take a big hit too [their] operation when weather rolls in. “
How did we get here and who’s to blame?
And that’s how we got to where we are now, with temporary buffer zones that prevent 5G from being deployed near certain airports – we do not know exactly which ones – and a massive scramble to hash out exactly how much the altimeters will be impacted by this new cell service.
But the FAA has been adamant that the aviation industry’s concerns are real – and with the industry already reeling from the global pandemic – airlines are desperately hoping to avoid giving people yet another reason not to fly.
Emirates president Sir Tim Clark did not mince words about what he sees as the issue, placing blame on the entire structure of the US system, saying “this is one of the most delinquent, utterly irresponsible” situations that he has seen in his aviation career.
He added that the “risks and dangers” should have already been evaluated.
How do we fix all this?
It’s not clear. Discussion among AT&T and Verizon wireless carriers as well as the airline industry and federal regulators are still ongoing.
We’re not sure if or when they will publicly announce a definitive path forward, but decisions will have to be made, especially considering the 5G “buffer zones” around major air hubs are still only temporary.
The problem? That’s likely to cost billions of dollars – billions that no corporation wants to take out of its own pockets.
“There are only three sources of such funds for the aviation industry. The government could pay out of the almost $ 82 billion generated by the sale of licenses to use the [5G spectrum at issue]; that would probably require an act of Congress, “Wheeler wrote.” The wireless industry could pay an additional tariff on top of the billions already spent for spectrum the government said would be ready for use on December 5. The aviation industry, having known for some time of the new 5G allocation, could pay to fix the offending altimeters. “
Wheeler, for his part, also placed much of the blame for this debacle on a lack of leadership and a lack of a national spectrum policy.
What’s next?
We’re still waiting for updates on the negotiations from the FAA, FCC and all the other parties involved. It’s not clear if there is a firm deadline they’re working toward, nor is it clear how long the “temporary” 5G buffer zones will stay in place.