US aviation regulator warns of potential interference from 5G spectrum plan

WASHINGTON: The Federal Aviation Administration said on Tuesday it had issued a special information bulletin operators and pilots that action may be needed to address potential interference with sensitive aircraft electronics caused by the use of 5G telecommunications technology.

The FAA has been in discussion with the Federal Communications Commission about its air safety concerns over the plan to begin using some additional spectrum for 5G wireless networks starting Dec. 5.

The FAA said on Tuesday operators “should be prepared for the possibility that interference from 5G transmitters and other technology could cause certain safety equipment to malfunction, requiring them to take mitigating action that could affect flight operations.”

It also recommends that pilots remind passengers that all portable electronic devices equipped with 5G be should be turned off or switched to airplane mode during flight. The FAA warned of the potential of the “degradation to the capabilities of safety systems and other equipment that depend on radio altimeters, particularly during low-altitude operations.”