5G skaper problemer - Curt Lewis

 

Air India cancels most US flights for 2nd day over 5G safety worry

NEW DLEHI: For the second day in a row, Air India cancelled most of its flights on the India-US routes over safety concerns pertaining to the 5G communications rollout in the US and its possible hazardous effect on aircraft navigation systems. Six return flights—three of which were scheduled to depart India for the US Thursday—were cancelled, said an airline source. A day earlier, the airline had cancelled eight return flights.

A total of 734 passengers who had checked in for three flights scheduled for early Wednesday have been accommodated in hotels, the source said, adding Air India hopes to get a clearance to operate its Boeing 777 flights to the US to fly the stranded flyers.

Later in the day, President Biden said service providers have agreed to delay 5G deployment around key airports.

Among the Thursday cancellations were Air India flights from Delhi to Newark, Chicago and San Francisco. At the time of going to press, sources said that Air India was likely to operate the Delhi-New York-Delhi and Delhi-Washington-Delhi flights. A decision on the Mumbai-Newark flight was pending. “Washington airport doesn’t have 5G C-band transmission stations in the vicinity and so flights to this destination won’t be affected,” said an airline source.

By David Koenig Washington, Jan 15 (AP) Federal safety officials are directing operators of some Boeing planes to adopt extra procedures when landing on wet or snowy runways near impending 5G service because, they say, interference from the wireless networks could mean that the planes need more room

The problem pertains to 5G services using frequencies in a radio spectrum called the C-band as these frequencies are close to those used by a radio altimeter installed on board aircraft. Since a radio altimeter is the only sensor onboard an aircraft that gives accurate information of an aircraft’s height over ground, any interference with its readings could be hazardous. Consequently, in December, the US aviation regulator, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), issued a directive that essentially banned all low-visibility landings once 5G was deployed. The 5G rollout was postponed from January 5 to allow the FAA time to work out a solution.

NEW DELHI: Major international airlines are either rejigging their flight schedules to the US or cancelling them altogether amid concerns over rollout of 5G mobile phone technology near US airports. Two US telecom giants -- AT&T and Verizon -- had announced they would be activating their 5G networks

In a temporary respite to airlines, FAA recently issued a list of radio altimeter models (installed on Boeing aircraft) which were found to be “robust” enough against 5G C-band interference. Among these are the Boeing 777 and 787 aircraft, which are also the planes that Air India operates to the US. Boeing aircraft equipped with these permitted altimeters can continue low-visibility landings in the 5G C-Band deployment areas till January 31, said the FAA in a letter sent to Boeing, dated January 18. Altimeter manufacturers evaluated data from the wireless companies to determine how robust each (radio altimeter) model is, it said. “This work has shown some altimeters are reliable and accurate in the 5G areas, others must be retrofitted or replaced,” it said.

The FAA has also issued a long list of airports to which aircraft equipped with these particular radio altimeters can operate even in low-visibility conditions. The list covers all the US airports that Air India operates to, except New York-JFK. “But if Air India’s Boeing 777 and Boeing 787 aircraft are not equipped with that particular model of radio altimeters then the airline’s US flights will continue to be hit till the time the altimeters are not retrofitted or replaced or some other solution is reached,” said a source.

AT&T and Verizon agreed Tuesday to a partial delay in activating their 5G networks to allay airline safety concerns but several major international carriers said they were canceling or amending some US services.

AT&T, Verizon agree to delay 5G implementation at some airports

A statement from Air India was awaited at the time of going to press.

Meanwhile, the US government will be working to find a solution that would allow 5G signals and aviation to safely co-exist, the White House said in a statement dated January 18.

Emirates to again fly Boeing 777 to US as 5G rollout slowed

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Long-haul carrier Emirates said Thursday it will resume its Boeing 777 flights to the U.S. after halting its use of the aircraft there over concerns new 5G services in America could interfere with airplane technology that measures altitude.

International carriers that rely heavily on the wide-body Boeing 777, and other Boeing aircraft, canceled early flights or switched to different planes Wednesday following warnings from the Federal Aviation Administration and the Chicago-based plane maker over possible interference with radio altimeters.

The FAA gave approval late Wednesday for more types of planes to land in low visibility near 5G signals, including the Boeing 777.

Among the most-affected airlines by the FAA decision was Dubai-based Emirates, a crucial East-West travel airline which flies only the 777 and the double-decker Airbus A380.

Emirates said its Boeing 777 service to Chicago, Dallas Fort Worth, Miami, Newark, Orlando and Seattle would resume Friday.

Flights to Boston, Houston and San Francisco, which saw Emirates deploy its Airbus A380 jumbo jet, will resume Boeing 777 flights on Saturday.

Tim Clark, Emirates president, apologized in a statement to the airline's customers for the disruption.

“Safety will always be our top priority, and we will never gamble on this front,” Clark said. “We welcome the latest development which enables us to resume essential transport links to the U.S. to serve travellers and cargo shippers.”

However, he added: “We are also very aware that this is a temporary reprieve, and a long-term resolution would be required.” That refers to Verizon and AT&T only temporarily reducing the rollout of 5G near dozens of airports as the FAA assesses which aircraft are safe to fly near the new 5G frequencies and which will need new altimeters.

Similar 5G mobile networks have been deployed in more than three dozen countries, but there are key differences in how the U.S. networks are designed that raised concern of potential problems for airlines.

The Verizon and AT&T networks use a segment of the radio spectrum that is close to the one used by radio altimeters, devices that measure the height of aircraft above the ground to help pilots land in low visibility.

The Federal Communications Commission, which set a buffer between the frequencies used by 5G and altimeters, has said the wireless service posed no risk to aviation. But FAA officials saw a potential problem.