CIRA Deputy Director: 5G network rollout not affecting Bloomington airport

Posted on January 19, 2022
Central Illinois Regional Airport (CIRA) said the new 5G technology is not affecting the Bloomington airport. (Photo courtesy: CIRA)

By Blake Haas

BLOOMINGTON – The aviation industry is warning against the rollout of 5G band networks across the country, but one airport in central Illinois says the rollouts are not affecting their airport.

Many large airports have warned against the technology next to runways that could interfere with crucial safety equipment essential to pilots in take-off and landing in inclement weather.

At Central Illinois Regional Airport (CIRA), Deputy Director Fran Strebing told WJBC’s Scott Miller the new technology is not affecting smaller airports like CIRA but is impacting large airports like O’Hare International Airport in Chicago.

“We have not been identified as one of the airports that would be impacted. (So currently), 5G is not an issue. We are waiting for the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration), The FCC (Federal Communication Commission), and the airlines and the cellphone providers to work out whatever they need to work out. But right now, it is not impacting any of our flights.”

On Wednesday, executives from large US airline companies called on the Biden administration for “immediate intervention” of the rollout of 5G technology.

Peter Greenburg, a CBS News travel editor and host of Eye on Travel, said the 5G rollout affects most planes coming from long distances and those using radar altimeters in inclement weather.

“This is a much bigger deal. This is about interference coming from outside of the plane and all the new 5G towers that the cellphone companies are building. And what they determined is it does have an effect on aircraft instruments, especially the radar altimeter – that piolets use to land when visibility is not 20/20, and that’s the key,” the host of the weekend news magazine told WJBC’s, Scott Miller.

Earlier this week, major cellphone carriers AT&T (T) and Verizon (VZ) announced they would pause the rollout of the 5G technology near airports.

Blake Haas can be reached at [email protected].

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