UPDATE China Airlines told the FAA that supply chain issues will prevent the carrier from upgrading some radio altimeters by a proposed February 2024 deadline—a development that an industry trade group warned was likely as operators push to meet the agency’s 5G-related retrofit timeline, notes Aviation Week.
The issue relates to when AT&T and Verizon can fully operate 5G on their C-band frequencies for which the carriers paid a combined $82 billion at auction. It could potentially impact when 19 other telecoms authorized to deploy 5G on C-band may begin operations.
In comments on the FAA’s recent Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, the Taiwan-based carrier said it signed an agreement with an unnamed supplier in November 2022. The supplier told the airline earlier this month that “due to [a] parts shortage,” it cannot deliver needed equipment for the carrier’s Boeing 777 and 747-400 planes by the FAA’s proposed deadline.
“We can’t control the supply chain issue,” China Airlines told the FAA. It asked the agency to consider extending the deadline or providing alternate methods of compliance for affected aircraft.
At issue is the FAA’s plan to ensure aircraft can operate safely around airports with new 5G C-band radio towers. Inside Towers reported a series of compromises with AT&T, Verizon and the FCC that gave the FAA time to assess potential risks to aircraft radio altimeters that use the height above terrain data they provide. In the meantime, the agency granted alternative compliance methods to impacted airlines, permitting them to operate at certain airports.
Under the latest agreement brokered in 2022, airlines must upgrade their fleets—installing filters or replacing radio altimeters. In return, wireless providers agreed to limit power output on some towers and delay bringing others online.
These voluntary mitigations are set to end on July 1. By then, aircraft must be able to safely operate near towers operating at 62dBM—the upper end of the reduced power level agreed to by wireless providers—or face significant flight restrictions, such as not using certain instrument approach procedures, reports Aviation Week.
The NPRM applies only to U.S. operators. It mandates upgrades by February 1, 2024. But it warns that flight restrictions may be required after June 30 for aircraft that have not been upgraded.
Comments on the NPRM from Lufthansa suggest supply chain issues are not universal. The German carrier confirmed its upgrades will cost $52,000 per aircraft for retrofits of existing radio altimeters and $80,000 per aircraft for full replacements. The airline doesn’t mention supply chain issues, according to Aviation Week.
By Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief
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