FAA Raises Share Of Commercial Airplanes Deemed Safe From 5G Interference To 62% Of U.S. Fleet – Including Boeing 777

January 19, 2022, 06:09pm.

The FAA said on Wednesday that it had determined that 5G cellular transmissions did not interfere with three models of radio altimeters used on airliners to determine their altitude during conditions with poor visibility.

American Airlines planes are at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia. The photo was taken by STEFANI REYNOLDS.

Agence France-Presse via Getty Images.

Several foreign carriers canceled or swapped out their U.S.-bound flights on Tuesday because of a warning from the FAA and Boeing.

The agency warned last year that 5G signals near airports could disrupt the equipment that pilots rely on for landing at night and on days with poor visibility.
Major disruptions from the 5G roll out were avoided on the first day of service after the telecommunications companies agreed to delay the roll out of 5G near airports to avoid interfering with aviation technology.
Forbes asked the FAA when it started testing which radio altimeters were affected by 5G services.

The FAA and the aviation industry have fought for years with telecom companies and the Federal Communication Commission over the FCC's decision to make a portion of the spectrum known as the C band available for use to roll out 5G cellular services. The FAA and airlines have argued that the C band is too close to frequencies used by equipment on airplanes, posing an unacceptable risk of interference. Last week, the FAA asked telecommunications companies to hold off on 5G services near airports. On Monday, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, FedEx and seven other air carriers requested that areas within two miles of the airport's runways be 5G-free. The launch of 5G services by AT&T and Verizon was put off for the time being. Concerns over 5G interference with aviation technology prompted international carriers to cancel or swap U.S.-bound flights. Tim Clark, president of Emirates, told CNN that he was unaware of the situation surrounding 5G services. The FAA did not clear the Boeing 777 for operation until Wednesday. The Associated Press reported that Japan Airlines resumed flights after canceling 20 flights to Chicago, Los Angeles and New York. British Airways canceled several flights and changed their aircraft to different models. Air France said it was planning to use the 777s as scheduled, while Korean Air, Cathay Pacific and Austrian Airlines said they had switched aircraft.
The FAA approved most of the commercial air fleet for landings in 5G zones.

Japanese airlines resumed flights to the U.S. after 5G.

Major airlines have canceled flights to the US due to the 5G dispute.

EXPLAINER: Why airlines are afraid of 5G.

AT&T Delays 5G Rollout Near Some Airports.