Opportunity
Federal Register #FAA-2026-7206
FAA Airworthiness Directive for Boeing and McDonnell Douglas Aircraft: Radio Altimeter Interference Mitigation
Buyer
Federal Aviation Administration
Posted
June 30, 2026
Respond By
August 15, 2026
Identifier
FAA-2026-7206
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), under the Department of Transportation, has issued a regulatory airworthiness directive (AD) affecting multiple Boeing and McDonnell Douglas aircraft models due to potential radio altimeter interference from 5G wireless broadband in Canadian airspace. - Government Buyer: - Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of Transportation - OEMs Involved: - The Boeing Company - McDonnell Douglas (now part of Boeing) - Aircraft Models Affected: - Boeing 707, 717, 727 - McDonnell Douglas DC-8, DC-9, DC-10, MD-10, MD-11, DC-9-81 (MD-81), DC-9-82 (MD-82), DC-9-83 (MD-83), DC-9-87 (MD-87), MD-88, MD-90-30 - Key Requirements: - Revise airplane flight manuals (AFM) to prohibit certain operations in Canadian airspace that require radio altimeter data unless the aircraft is radio altimeter tolerant - Optional: Replace or modify radio altimeters or add filters to achieve radio altimeter tolerance - Notable Details: - No procurement of products or services is requested; this is a regulatory action - Estimated costs are provided for optional equipment modifications - The directive is intended to ensure safe flight operations in Canadian airspace where 5G interference may occur
Description
The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all The Boeing Company Model 707, 717, and 727 airplanes; Model DC-8, DC-9, and DC-10 airplanes; Model MD-10 and MD-11 airplanes; Model DC-9-81 (MD-81), DC-9-82 (MD-82), DC-9-83 (MD-83), DC-9-87 (MD-87), and MD-88 airplanes; and Model MD 90-30 airplanes. This AD addresses interference issues with radio altimeters caused by wireless broadband operations in the 3.7-3.98 GHz frequency band (5G Lower C-Band) while operating in Canadian airspace. The directive requires revising the airplane flight manual (AFM) to incorporate limitations prohibiting certain operations requiring radio altimeter data in Canadian airspace to ensure safe flight and landing. The AD is effective July 1, 2026, with comments due by August 14, 2026.