Safety Bulletin

Maintaining Safe Operations with Radar Altimeter Interference from 5G

Jan 13, 2022

Abstract

This Safety Bulletin was created using the ALPA-International Safety Alert of the same name.

The Federal Aviation Administration has issued Airworthiness Directives (ADs) for aircraft equipped with certain Radar (Radio) Altimeters prone to interference by 5G Wireless signals. In addition, the FAA has issued Notices to Air Missions (NOTAMS) for specific locations where the presence of 5G wireless signals will interfere with aircraft radar (radio) altimeters beginning January 19, 2022. The power levels and proximities of the 5G signals are at higher power levels than any other deployment currently in use elsewhere in the world.

The interference from 5G signals can result in the loss of radar altitude information or, worse, incorrect radar altitude information unknowingly being used by other aircraft systems and flight crews.