What Happened
US Aviation Regulator Sets Deadline For Commercial Aircraft
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a final rule mandating the upgrade of radio altimeters on commercial aircraft by December 30, 2030, to mitigate potential interference from new wireless services. The rule affects 58,500 radio altimeters on 40,700 aircraft, with estimated upgrade costs ranging from $80,000 to $120,000 per aircraft. The FAA’s decision follows the Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) adoption of a new round of wireless spectrum auction, which will permit new wireless services in the 75 largest US markets by the end of 2030. This development was first reported by Aviation Week.