Airport not affected by 5G rollout

As airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration try to resolve their concerns about the rollout of 5G cell signal access and the affect it will have on air travel, Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport Director Tony Bean said the local airport is not affected, at least for now.

Airline CEOs, including Alaska Air Group CEO Ben Minicucci, signed a letter sent to Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg on Monday requesting wireless companies implement 5G everywhere except near airports.

“Immediate intervention is needed to avoid significant operational disruption to air passengers, shippers, supply chain and delivery of needed medical supplies,” the letter states.

On Tuesday, national media outlets reported Verizon and AT&T delayed the launch of their 5G technology near some airports

The FAA is concerned about how the 5G C-band could affect an airplane’s radio altimeter. The altimeter tells the pilot how high the plane is above the ground. Bean said it is an especially important instrument during the plane’s landing course.

Bean said the FAA does not know for certain that 5G will disrupt altimeters, but it wants to make sure that question is answered before 5G is allowed near airports.

“The FAA’s mandate is safety, period,” Bean said, adding that no airline is going to put a passenger at risk.

On Thursday, the FAA announced that nearly 80% of the U.S. commercial fleet is approved to perform low-visibility landings at airports where wireless companies deployed 5G C-band

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is on the FAA’s list of airports that have buffer zones to reduce the risk of disruption as wireless companies roll out 5G. Alaska Airlines flights depart daily from Pullman to Seattle.

Bean said that right now, Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport will only be affected by the 5G rollout if Sea-Tac is affected.

“As far as Pullman and Moscow, are we affected at this point, at this end? No,” he said.

Bean said he is confident the FAA, airlines and wireless companies will resolve this issue, it is just a matter of when.

“If the agency thinks it’s unsafe, they’ll make it safe,” he said.

He said all officials with the Pullman-Mosocw Regional Airport can do is follow the guidance of the FAA.

For more information, visit faa.gov/5g.

Kuipers can be reached at akuipers@dnews.com.