04 NovFreeFlight speaks out against danger LightSquared poses for aviation
A proposed wireless technology is putting our nation’s air transportation system at risk. And now, thanks to efforts from aviation and other industries, members of the U.S. House of Representatives have taken action to stop development of the new wireless network.
In October, the U.S. House Small Committee on Small Business held a full committee hearing to examine how LightSquared’s technologies could impact small businesses. I testified before the committee, explaining the concerns of both FreeFlight and the Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA).
Put simply, LightSquared has proposed a nationwide wireless broadband network that pours high-energy radio waves into the previously protected spectrum. Like all Americans, I support a low-cost, nationwide wireless broadband network. But I cannot get behind technology that compromises the safety and efficiency of the national air transportation system
LightSquared plans to develop a wholesale, nationwide 4G-LTE wireless broadband network. The network would bring together existing mobile satellite communications services with a ground-based wireless communications network using the same L-band radio spectrum.
In January, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted LightSquared conditional approval to build out its ground-based wireless network. Final approval of the project is subject to further testing and FCC review.
Unfortunately, the LightSquared network would transmit signals in a radio band that is immediately adjacent to GPS frequencies. This might overpower GPS signals from space, which are relatively weak. The FCC could approve a technical solution to this problem, but the millions of people who already use GPS would be required to either upgrade or replace their technology.
“Increasing broadband to underserved and rural areas is a noble goal and only makes sense in this rapidly advancing technological world,” said Sam Graves (R-Mo.), chairman of the committee. “However, we must find a solution to increase wireless broadband without jeopardizing currently established GPS systems and further burdening small businesses.
This week, Graves asked the FCC to deny LightSquared’s request for approval until testing ensures there will be no interference with existing GPS devices.
“This is about more than the cost, it is also about safety,” Graves added. “Pilots rely heavily on GPS to maneuver their planes. So above all, we must ensure that safety is not compromised.”
I couldn’t agree more. AEA member companies have been manufacturing, selling and installing GPS navigators, surveillance and emergency locator systems to aircraft owners and operators for nearly 20 years. These systems have been designed, manufactured and certified to the government’s technical standards to provide the aviation consumer with an assurance of usability and acceptability within the national air space.
Any efforts by LightSquared to generate a requirement resulting in costly recertification and retrofits of the already installed systems would directly and negatively affect the industry and the nation’s airspace.
Changes that affect the national air transportation system require long-range planning, and I encourage LightSquared, or any other company, to participate in the aviation technical standards development process.
RTCA and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have been working towards NextGen air traffic control for nearly 20 years. If neighboring technologies need changes in the aviation systems in order to be compatible, these companies need to work with the FAA and RTCA. That way, the next generation of aviation products can be designed and certified to be compatible with their future business plans once the current generation of products reaches the end of its service life
In contrast, the idea that a new entrant into the marketplace can arbitrarily introduce a product that immediately compromises aviation safety and security, while expecting the aviation industry to design, manufacture, test, certify and install an aviation-compliant filter, is simply not realistic.
It’s worth noting that the aviation industry is not alone in this matter. The committee also heard concerns from companies in agriculture, surveying and construction.
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