Airplane operators may not be able to make the necessary retrofits to their aircraft in time to make the 5G wireless upgrade deadline in July of this year.
According to a report from Reuters, a letter sent to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) by the International Air Travel Association (IATA) many operators will not be able to make the proposed July 2023 deadline due to supply chain issues, certification delays and logistics challenges.
The retrofit is to be done on airplane altimeters to ensure they are not susceptible to 5G wireless interference. The FAA said it may propose for passenger and cargo aircraft in the U.S. to have 5G C-Band-tolerant radio altimeters and approved filters by early 2024.
The concern is that 5G could interfere with airplanes in terms of providing false plane height information or bad-weather landing data.
The IATA represents more than 100 airlines that fly in the U.S. including Boeing, Airbus and other aerospace manufacturers.
"It is critical that we acknowledge and accept that fact and move collectively to change our approach to this issue now, before many carriers are unable to continue to serve the U.S. market during the peak summer travel season," the letter to the FAA said.
Delayed deployment
According to the report, Verizon and AT&T have agreed to delay C-Band 5G use until July to allow for the retrofit of aircraft and not cause interference before deployment.
Previously, aircraft were prohibited from flying near 5G C-Band wireless transmitters unless the FAA approved them.
Now, Verizon and AT&T are negotiating with the FAA on a new agreement to extend the deployment beyond July. Additionally, the FAA may require any airlines without retrofits to not fly in low visibility after June 30.
