The Launch Of 5G Networks In The US Has Hitched Again, This Time Because Of Helicopters

Ambulance helicopters can be disrupted by 5G networks. (photo: doc. unsplash)

JAKARTA – AT&T and Verizon will launch their 5G networks across the US on January 19. But the launch could disrupt more than 9,000 commercial helicopters, including the medevac helicopters used to save lives.

5G wireless service can make radar altimeters, which measure the altitude of planes and helicopters, unreliable or functioning properly. According to US law, all commercial helicopters must have proper functioning equipment in order to fly.

"Without a radar altimeter, landing in a remote area or on a hospital landing pad is nearly impossible," said Ben Clayton, interim chief executive officer of Life Flight Networks.

The problem is that medevac helicopters need to land and take off in remote areas, which makes their ability to measure altitude critical to a successful mission.

Other commercial helicopters touring or law enforcement vessels that need to be deployed in uncomfortable terrain also rely on this technology.

The International Helicopter Association (HAI) petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in October 2021, requesting that these air ambulances be exempt from the law when 5G rolls out.

On January 13, HAI finally received a response, but was only given partial approval.

“Based on the unprecedented nature of the widespread impact on radio altimeters… the FAA will provide assistance to section 119 certificate holders conducting HAA (air ambulance helicopter) operations in areas where the FAA has determined that 5G C-Band interference is affecting or likely to be affected. affect the radio altimeter," according to an FAA source who was also quoted by Dailymail.

However, there are thousands of HAA in the US serving at least 300,000 people per year who need to be sent to a medical facility.

Helicopters used in medical transportation often land and take off from locations other than airports or helipads to evacuate victims of natural disasters or vehicle accidents.

For this reason a reliable radar altimeter is needed to ensure the safety of helicopters, rescuers and patients.

Regardless, the FAA says this type of transport cannot be grounded even if the device is not working properly due to 5G interference.

"Allowing the use of NVG in HAA operations outside airports or locating unrepaired areas where the radio altimeter may be experiencing interference is in the public interest," the FAA said in a statement.

"The public interest in allowing such operations to continue is considerable, especially given that approximately 40,000 to 50,000 such operations occur outside airports or unrepaired areas at night," the FAA added.

The US reported a total of 9,348 helicopters in 2019, which is four times higher than Canada's next largest fleet.

There has been a lot of back-and-forth between AT&T and Verizon and the US government ahead of the official rollout of the 5G network.

The launch was originally scheduled for January 4, but due to concerns about how the service would impact airlines, the company agreed to a two-week delay to give the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) sufficient time to fix the problem.

The problem is the 3.7 to 3.98 GHz frequencies, known as C-Band, that both wireless carriers spend tens of billions of licenses on to power their ultra-fast 5G networks.

Federal Aviation Administration and Boeing officials have also warned that there is potential for interference with vital aircraft instruments operating in the adjacent 4.2 to 4.4 GHz band, including radio altimeters that tell pilots their altitude in poor visibility.

In short, the fear is that in rare cases an incorrect altitude reading could confuse pilots as they approach landing in poor visibility conditions, with potentially disastrous results.

However, a two-week delay should give the FAA enough time to ensure there is no interference with the aircraft, but the same cannot be said for helicopters.