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The 5G mobile service could cause a major catastrophe for US airlines! - Prune

The US is ready to implement the long-awaited 5G internet technology in the country this week, but not without the potential massive disruption and chaotic situation in the aviation industry.

The major US airlines have sent out a warning to the telecom companies that the passenger flights and cargo carriers could face a catastrophic crisis after the deployment of the new 5G 'C-Band' service near the airports. And Indian airlines such as Air India have also backed these warnings.

As AT&T and Verizon gear up to roll out 5G wireless service, the chief executives of the major US airlines have sent out a letter to top federal officials.

The letter mentions that: "We are writing with urgency to request that 5G be implemented everywhere in the country except within the approximate 2 miles of airport runways at affected airports as defined by the FAA on January 19, 2022. It will allow 5G to be deployed while avoiding harmful impacts on the aviation industry, travelling public, supply chain, vaccine distribution, our workforce, and the broader economy."

The top US airlines such as Delta Airlines, Alaska Air, and American Airlines have stressed the fact that 5G could result in flights getting grounded.

Due to poor weather conditions and other technical reasons, flights need to operate in low visibility conditions. And for this, they require special instruments such as radio altimeters. But the new C-Band 5G could easily interfere with the performance of these instruments, hampering the smooth functioning of flight takeoffs. "This means that on a day like yesterday, more than 1,100 flights and 100,000 passengers would be subjected to cancellations, diversions, or delays," the letter by the airlines added.

And these radio altimeters not just assist in low visibility conditions but also help in providing safety information to prevent accidents. The airline companies have firmly sent out the warning saying, "the nation's commerce will grind to a halt."

What does this news about 5G 'C-Band' deployment mean for India?

The issue is not just limited to the US. Since the US airlines have sent out a warning, Indian flights such as Air India have issued a statement saying that it won't be operating several flights to the US. These flights, as informed by Air India on social media, are Delhi-JFK-Delhi and Mumbai-EWR-Mumbai flights.

The issue has opened up a conversation about the harmful impact of 5G on flight operations in India as well. The Federation of Indian Pilots has asked for the safe implementation of 5G services that won't interfere with the aircraft safety systems.

This news also comes soon after the recent announcement of the 5G trial phase in select cities in the country. The letter by the Indian pilots' body mentions that "Restricting the use of safety-critical systems when in the vicinity of 5G interference, as outlined in recent FAA ADs, is not a viable long-term solution. We should always be working to improve the situational awareness of flight crews, not restricting it."

What are your thoughts about the 5G project and its relation to flight operations? Do you think this could have a long-term negative impact, or are we just being extra cautious? Let us know!

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