Flights canceled by international airlines and aircraft changes at the last minute… The deployment of 5G around airports is causing turbulence in the United States. Air carriers are worried about a possible “chaos” because of the risk of interference from certain on-board instruments essential to the landing of planes.
Posted at 7:00 p.m.
In Canada, the picture is different even though these fifth-generation mobile telephone networks have been deployed near airports. Still, southern carriers need to keep an eye on what’s happening south of the border. Overview.
What are the risks for aviation?
5G networks use frequencies similar to those used by radio altimeters, essential instruments that measure the distance separating the aircraft from the ground. The airline industry fears possible interference, which would compromise the safety of the occupants.
“It’s the piece on board that is really needed when the aircraft wants to land when the conditions are bad because of fog or snow, for example, explains the aviation analyst and lecturer at the University McGillJohn Gradek. In case of jamming, the altimeter can say that the altitude is zero even if we are at 3000 feet. »
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) believed that 5G could be used safely near airports, but the government’s aviation regulatory agency (FAA) saw things differently.
Telecommunications companies have agreed to take a break. No long-term solution has been found so far.
“We’re talking about a risk of interference,” says Yves Bergeron, director of operations at Nolinor. There were no reported incidents. What they want to avoid is an incident caused by interference. Nevertheless, 45% of commercial aircraft are free of this risk since the radio altimeters are sufficiently robust. »
PHOTO CHRISTOPHER PIKE, REUTERS ARCHIVES
The largest airline in the Middle East, Emirates has decided to no longer offer connections to many American destinations due to the deployment of 5G.
How did the carriers react?
By canceling flights. The largest airline in the Middle East, Emirates has notably decided to no longer offer connections to many American destinations due to the deployment of 5G. Its planes will continue to land in New York, Washington and Los Angeles.
The reason is simple: the Boeing 777 jumbo jet would be particularly vulnerable to the risk of jamming. Emirates only operates this model and Airbus A380s.
The FAA estimates that many families of Boeing (737, 747, 757 and 767) and Airbus (S310, A319, A320 and A321) aircraft could land safely near 5G towers.
“It’s the last thing the industry needed,” said Robert Kokonis, president of the consulting firm AirTrava, recalling that airlines are still struggling to recover from the tremors of the COVID-19 pandemic.
All Nippon Airways, based in Japan, also canceled about 20 flights to the United States. Other carriers, such as Japan Airlines, Korean Air and Austrian Airlines, will attempt to use aircraft other than Boeing 777s to fly to the United States.
And in Canada?
The risks are lower since extraordinary measures have been put in place. Ottawa has identified “no-go zones” near 26 airports across the country.
In addition, the Federal Ministry of Industry had published new rules aimed at protecting radio altimeters. 5G networks must operate in the oscillating spectrum around 3500 megahertz. In the United States, the frequency was to vary between 4200 and 4400 megahertz – a range considered problematic. Similar measures have been put forward elsewhere in the world.
“When we arrive above 3700 megahertz, there is a risk of interference,” underlines Mr. Gradek. In the exclusion zones, the angle of the antennas has been tilted to reduce the impact on the radio altimeters. »
Nevertheless, Transport Canada published, on November 23, a directive to “raise awareness of the risks of interference” by 5G.
In an email, a spokeswoman, Sau Sau Liu, said Ottawa was working with the aviation and telecommunications sectors to “protect” radio altimeters and “minimize potential interference.”
Will my flight be cancelled?
If you are departing from a Canadian airport, the odds are very slim at this time. Cancellations so far have been announced by carriers that operate Boeing 777s for long flights.
Air Canada, Transat AT and WestJet are staying the course while continuing to follow FAA recommendations.
Pascale Déry, spokesperson for Air Canada, indicated that the “types of devices” used by the company made it possible to “ensure safe operation”.
At Air Transat, “the airports where we land are not problematic in terms of proximity to 5G towers,” said spokesperson Pierre Tessier.
In January, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is the only American destination offered by the Quebec company.
With the Associated Press