FAA clears the way for some airliners to fly in 5G zones
Federal aviation regulators granted approvals that will allow some jetliners to operate within zones where new 5G wireless services are set to begin Wednesday, significantly reducing potential problems for flight schedules.
The Federal Aviation Administration said Sunday that airline manufacturers had shown that the mobile phone signals won’t cause interference with critical equipment on certain Airbus SE and Boeing Co. models.
New 5G services by AT&T Inc. and Verizon Communications Inc. set to begin across numerous communities in the U.S. broadcast on radio waves that are adjacent to those used by so-called radar altimeters on thousands of airliners, helicopters and other aircraft. Tests showed that the altimeters could give false readings in the presence of 5G signals.
“Even with these new approvals, flights at some airports may still be affected,” the FAA said in an emailed statement. “Passengers should check with their airlines if weather is forecast at a destination where 5G interference is possible.”
The FAA, working with aircraft manufacturers and the wireless companies, has been conducting more detailed analysis narrowing the potential effects on the aviation system in recent weeks. It approved numerous models of Airbus and Boeing aircraft equipped with two types of radar altimeters, accounting for about 45 percent of the U.S. commercial fleet.
But the complex work continues. And with a majority of airliners still subject to limitations, some level of flight disruptions are likely.
The FAA action doesn’t include Boeing’s wide-body 777s and 787s, nor does it include any of the smaller regional jets popular in the U.S. aviation system. Additionally, some planes listed in the decision may have been equipped with other altimeter models and aren’t cov
profile hoax in September, when a fake announcement caused a short-lived surge in Litecoin, a relatively obscure cryptocurrency. According to the faked news release, Walmart would start letting its customers pay with Litecoin.
Even so, Walmart has continued to explore capabilities in that realm. In October, the Bentonville, Ark.-based retailer started a pilot program in which shoppers can buy Bitcoin at Coinstar kiosks in some of its U.S. stores. The test with Coinstar, which is known for the machines that let customers exchange U.S. coins for paper bills or gift cards, includes 200 kiosks in Walmart stores.
In early December, Walmart Chief Financial Officer Brett Biggs said at an analyst conference that the company was open to allowing shoppers to pay in cryptocurrency if customers demand it, but the company didn’t see a need to rush out any capabilities.