The FAA plans to publish its final rule requiring radio altimeter upgrades on July 24 following the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) approval of additional upper C-band spectrum.
The FCC's July 22 decision, which was widely expected, outlines the agency's plan to auction 160 MHz of spectrum by mid-2027. New wireless services using the spectrum will be permitted to begin in December 2030 in the 75 largest U.S. markets and in July 2031 elsewhere, the FCC said. The FAA's final rule is expected to align with that timeline, requiring scheduled air carriers to complete radio altimeter upgrades by the end of 2030. A second compliance deadline for other affected aircraft is expected about two years later.
The FAA's draft rule, issued in January, proposed a two-phase upgrade plan tied to the FCC's auction schedule, with commercial operators upgrading before the new wireless services are introduced and other affected aircraft following within two years. The draft assumed new services would begin between 2029 and 2032 and said the final rule would align with the FCC's approved plan. Aviation and wireless stakeholders determined that 2030 is an achievable retrofit target for commercial operators.
The plan includes rebates and other financial incentives to help accelerate the upgrades. The rebates will be funded through auction proceeds. In a statement, the FAA confirmed that the final rule adopts the two-phase upgrade plan but did not specify the compliance dates.
“The FAA regulation provides technical and schedule certainty to the potential 5G auction bidders, and the FCC requirements for a radio-altimeter rebate program will provide financial incentives for the aviation community to hold to the altimeter-upgrade schedule,” the agency said. “As a result, commercial aircraft will equip with next-generation technology several years earlier than otherwise would have been feasible.”
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