Avionics News January 2021 - 8

Aviation groups
call for halt of
FCC Spectrum
Auction affecting
radar altimeters

On Dec. 7, 2020, a group of 15 aviation
associations, including the Aircraft Electronics
Association, sent a letter to the Federal
Communications Commission expressing concern over frequency spectrum relocation affecting radar altimeters, a critical flight safety tool.
The group requested that the FCC suspend
Auction 107, scheduled to begin Dec. 8, which
offers new flexible‐use overlay licenses for
spectrum in the 3.7-3.98 GHz band, in order
to resolve likely interference issues with radar
altimeters prior to the auction.
" Since 2017, the aviation industry has
consistently noted during the Federal
Communications Commission rulemaking
process that deployment of 5G networks in
this frequency band may introduce harmful
radio frequency interference to radar altimeters currently operating in the globallyallocated 4.2-4.4 GHz aeronautical band, " the
group wrote.
The group's request to suspend the auction
is rooted in findings from an RTCA study on
the impact of C-band mobile telecommunications interference on low range radar altimeter
operations. The study revealed that 5G telecommunications systems in the 3.7-3.98 GHz
band will cause harmful interference to radar
altimeters on all types of civil aircraft - including large commercial transport airplanes; business, regional, and general aviation airplanes;
and both transport and general aviation helicopters. Without appropriate mitigations, such
interference could lead to catastrophic failures.
The study was submitted to the FCC for consideration back in October and additional information was provided to the FCC.
To read the letter in its entirety, visit aea.net. q

avionics news

january

2021

Podcast

The making of a thirdgeneration aviator
Mac and David Copeland share their family's unique
aviation history in a recent episode of AEA Amplified.
Mac is following in big family footsteps as a thirdgeneration pilot. He recently completed his first solo
while attending college and working toward his private
pilot certificate.
His father,
David, is the vice
president of sales
for Mid-Continent
Instruments and
Avionics. And
his grandparents,
John and Marilyn,
operated an airport,
one that felt more
like home than the
house. With links to Charles Lindbergh and Amelia
Earhart, listen to the Copeland family's incredible
aviation story.
Subscribe to AEA Amplified on Apple Podcasts,
Google Podcasts, Podbean, iHeart Radio or Spotify.
Listen to this episode and all previous ones at
AEA.net/Podcast. q

AEA scholarship
applications now
available online

The Aircraft Electronics Association will award 23
scholarships totaling more than $100,000 for the 2021-22
school year to students pursuing a career in avionics or aircraft
maintenance, as well as students from AEA member companies.
Since its inception, the AEA scholarship program has awarded
more than $1.5 million in scholarships. Numerous awards are
available, ranging from $1,000 to more than $35,000 each.
Scholarship applications are available at AEA.net/scholarship,
and the deadline to submit an application is April 1, 2021. q

http://AEA.net/Podcast http://AEA.net/scholarship http://aea.net

Avionics News January 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Avionics News January 2021