For a little background, the electromagnetic spectrum describes a range of radiation that surrounds us. Most of this radiation is invisible to our eyes, although it also includes visible light from any source. Parts of that spec- trum were an untapped resource for most of human his- tory. However, many essential modern technologies, including telecommunications, utilize the spectrum. Have you heard that land is a good investment because they’re not making any more of it? Well, that’s also true for spectrum—there’s a finite amount of it, and as we think of more and more ways to use it, including GPS, Wi-Fi, and cell phones, competition is fierce for room on that spectrum. In 2015, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which in the United States administers access to the spectrum, raised $44.9 billion by selling licenses for carriers to uti- lize the 1700 MHz and 2100 MHz blocks for mobile voice, data, and messaging services. Recently, the FCC approved two controversial orders
allowing cellular operations to expand in areas adjacent to spectrum vital to aviation. The first was granting a petition by Ligado Networks to build its cellular network next to GPS and satellite communications frequencies in the L band. The second, which we’ll discuss below, was to auction spectrum to existing cellular companies in the frequencies used for radar altimeters in the C band.
GPS and Air-to-Ground Communications When the Ligado cellular network becomes operational, GPS will face interference primarily from the thousands of Ligado base stations (towers), and air-to-ground com- munications through satellites will face interference from millions of Ligado user terminals (handsets), as shown in the graphic on p. 12. Our industry is effectively getting hit twice by interfer- ence from Ligado: the towers could take out GPS, and the handsets could take out air-to-ground communica- tions as pilots land and take off. Use of GPS is funda- mental to the continued safe and effective operations of our industry, where false, missing, or delayed GPS data can result in a tragic accident. Disrupting communica- tions during takeoffs and landings, which are critical phases of flight, could have similar consequences for flight safety. Fourteen federal agencies—including the Department
of Defense (DOD)—tried to intervene with the FCC to stop the approval of the Ligado plan. Disregarding all protests, the FCC proceeded with the plan, refusing to take full account of the diverse services in the L band that would be significantly impaired by interference, including those relied on by military, federal, and public safety users.
While the FCC is the lead
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agency for spectrum manage- ment, Congress is listening to arguments about ways to mitigate the risks imposed by the Ligado plan. In the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2021, Congress included language prohibiting the DOD from entering into contracts with companies whose operations would cause spectrum interference, unless the Secretary of Defense certified that such operations did not cause harmful interference. Furthermore, it required the operator of that network to pay for any damages to DOD GPS devices. Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) recently introduced the
Recognizing and Ensuring Taxpayer Access to Infrastructure Necessary for GPS and Satellite Communications Act of 2021 (RETAIN Act) to address the cost impact of the Ligado Order on both the public and private sectors. The bill directs that the FCC Ligado Order shall not be effective until Ligado has reimbursed both the public and private sectors for the costs associ- ated with the interference Ligado would cause. You can read more about how HAI is working to high- light this threat to aviation safety in HAI Chair Stacy Sheard’s From the Board article, on p. 6; James Viola’s President’s Message, on p. 8; and In the Spotlight, on p. 18, in which Ryan Terry of Lockheed Martin discusses the implications of the Ligado deal for operators and pilots.
Radar Altimeters Impaired performance by radar altimeters is also a clear safety concern for our industry. Since 2017, the aviation
JUNE 2021 ROTOR 11 WATCH
Sen. Inhofe on RETAIN Act
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