NBAA Joins Industry Coalition on FAA Altimeter Mandate

NBAA has weighed in on the FAA’s proposed mandate requiring the installation of new radio altimeters (RAs) on thousands of aircraft and helicopters, joining a broad industry coalition in expressing concerns on the subject.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) plans to auction off bandwidth in the upper C-band—a portion of the frequency spectrum used by the altimeters for safety-data transmission—to the wireless telecommunications sector, as required in last year’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.”

In response, in early January, the FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking introducing a requirement for aircraft operators to install new RAs, hardened against any interference from non-aviation signals transmitted in that range, with a targeted effective date of 2034 for Part 91 and Part 135 aircraft.

The coalition, which includes aircraft and avionics manufacturers, along with other industry groups, expressed its commitment to upholding the highest levels of safety but also shared concerns over the anticipated costs involved, which they say are likely underestimated by the FAA. The coalition estimates that the mandate will affect nearly 41,000 aircraft (including commercial airlines) that operate in U.S. airspace, resulting in $4.49 billion to more than $7 billion in total costs borne by the industry.

“Based on consultation with operators and aircraft and radio altimeter manufacturers, equipment and labor costs may reach $120,000 per RA unit,” significantly more than the $80,000 cited by the agency, it explained.

Since this burden, particularly with regard to Part 91 and Part 135 operators, “who will face disproportionate per-aircraft costs and, in many cases, the inability to absorb or recover those costs,” will stem from forces beyond their control, NBAA and NATA were among those urging the FCC to support financial incentives to offset out-of-pocket installation expenses.

“Over many decades, the business aviation sector has enthusiastically adopted new technologies that ensure flying remains the safest form of transportation,” said Heidi Williams, NBAA’s v-p for air traffic services. “At the same time, we recognize the need to address potential concerns over the cost and other impacts of new mandates for technology equipage. We look forward to collaborating with the FAA to address the concerns involving its radio altimeter proposal, so that we can ensure all aircraft are equipped with the technology needed to protect essential safety systems from signal interference by non-aviation parties.”