The FAA is scheduled to issue a final rule on Friday, July 24, 2026 addressing a problem that has shadowed the fleet since 2021: ensuring aircraft radio altimeters can withstand interference from 5G wireless signals operating in neighboring C-band spectrum.
What is expected
The rulemaking is the long-term fix to the 5G C-band saga — moving from the patchwork of airworthiness directives, alternative methods of compliance, and voluntary telecom mitigations toward a durable equipment performance standard for radio altimeters.
What this does NOT mean yet
Two things worth being precise about:
- The rule is not in effect. As of this writing it has not been published. Requirements, applicability, and compliance timelines only become real when the final rule appears in the Federal Register — and compliance dates in equipment rules typically phase in over months or years.
- Nothing changes for your next flight. Current radio altimeter limitations, where they exist, remain governed by the ADs and NOTAMs already in force.
We will publish a follow-up with the actual requirements and dates once the Federal Register text is out.
Source
- FAA rulemaking calendar — final rule scheduled for issuance July 24, 2026. This article will be updated with the Federal Register citation upon publication.