Boeing 787s to take precautions when landing over 5G

A Boeing logo is seen at the company's facility in Everett, Washington, U.S., Jan. 21, 2020. [Reuters]

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has said it will require operators of Boeing 787s to take additional precautions when landing on wet or snowy runways at airports where new wireless services are deployed from this week.

The FAA said 5G interference could prevent engine and braking systems from transitioning to landing mode, which could prevent an aircraft from stopping on the runway.

The directive requires crews “to be aware of this risk and to adopt specific safety procedures when landing on these runways.”

It affects 137 US aircraft and 1,010 planes worldwide.

AT&T and Verizon, which won nearly all of the C-Band spectrum in an $80 billion (Sh9.04 trillion) auction last year, on January 3, agreed to buffer zones around 50 airports to reduce interference risks.

They also agreed to delay deployment for two weeks. The FAA directive prohibits operators from dispatching or releasing 787s “to affected airports when certain braking and anti-skid functions on the airplane are inoperable.”

Boeing did not immediately comment. The FAA is also expected to detail “alternative” compliance for some specific airplane types and some airports before Wednesday. The FAA issued nearly 1,500 notices last week detailing the extent of potential impact of 5G services.