Aircraft flying low-visibility instrument approaches in Australia now need upgraded radio altimeters, and the requirement bites at each major airport once a 5G base station is switched on nearby. It’s a technical change with almost no visibility from the cabin, but it’s a good illustration of how aviation handles an emerging risk before it becomes a problem, and of why the operator behind your charter flight matters.
What a radio altimeter does
A radio altimeter, or radalt, measures an aircraft’s height above the terrain directly beneath it, rather than height above sea level. That reading feeds several systems that matter most in the final stages of an approach, including the low-visibility instrument approach procedures where the crew may not see the runway until very late. It isn’t in play on every flight, but when it is in play, it’s genuinely load-bearing.
Why 5G is relevant
The frequencies allocated to some 5G services sit close to the band radalts use. CASA’s concern is interference: if a radalt gives an inaccurate height reading during an approach, the possible consequences run from nuisance alerts and failure to alert through to increased crew workload and go-arounds. The Australian Communications and Media Authority previously protected radalts through deployment restrictions around identified airports, and those mitigations ended on 31 March 2026.
The response is equipment-led rather than restrictive. Operators conducting the affected approaches must now have radalts meeting the interference tolerance standards, with amendments made to the Manuals of Standards for Parts 91, 121, 133 and 135. Operators can use a temporary exemption to continue without upgraded equipment until a 5G base station is switched on near the airport in question, and telecommunications providers must give at least four weeks’ notice before activating one near a major airport where low-visibility procedures are used. Perth is the next airport where the requirement applies.
What it means for charter clients
Nothing you need to manage. What it does illustrate is that aircraft capability is route-specific and condition-specific. An aircraft that’s perfect for a clear-weather regional run may not be the right choice for a winter approach into a capital city, and the difference sits in equipment fit and operator approvals rather than cabin finish.
Planning a trip where weather or timing is tight? Speak with an Adagold charter specialist, browse the aircraft available for charter, or get in touch.
