# 2026-13208: 737 Fleet Must Update Manuals for Canadian 5G Zones

2026-13208, Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes, is a Federal Register rule from Transportation Department, Federal Aviation Administration published 2026-06-30, effective 2026-07-01; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-07-07).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-13208
- As of: 2026-07-07
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2026-13208
- Title: Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes
- Type: Rule
- Agencies: Transportation Department; Federal Aviation Administration
- Citation: 91 FR 39405
- Published: 2026-06-30
- Effective: 2026-07-01
- Comments close: 2026-08-14
- Significant: no
- Touches household money: yes
- Regulation identifier numbers: 2120-AA64
- Last updated: 2026-07-07

## In one line

737 Fleet Must Update Manuals for Canadian 5G Zones

## Summary

Starting July 1, 2026, all Boeing 737-8, 737-9, and 737-8200 planes must update their flight manuals to avoid using radio altimeter data when flying in Canadian airspace. This change stops 5G signals from messing with important landing and takeoff systems, keeping flights safer and preventing runway mishaps. Pilots and airlines should act fast to follow these new rules and send feedback by August 14, 2026.

## Abstract

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all The Boeing Company Model 737-8, 737-9, and 737-8200 airplanes. This AD was prompted by the determination that radio altimeters cannot be relied upon to perform their intended function if they experience interference from wireless broadband operations in the 3.7-3.98 GHz frequency band (5G Lower C-Band) while operating in Canadian airspace, and the determination that, during takeoffs and landings, as a result of this interference, certain airplane systems may not properly function, resulting in longer than normal landing or rejected takeoff distances due to the effect on thrust reverser deployment, spoilers, speedbrake deployment, and increased idle thrust, regardless of the approach type or weather, which could lead to degraded deceleration performance and a runway excursion. This AD requires revising the existing airplane flight manual (AFM) to incorporate limitations prohibiting certain operations requiring radio altimeter data when operating in Canadian airspace. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

## Effects PRIA read

- Must revise AFM before flying to Canada: cost, low. Starting July 1, 2026, all Boeing 737-8, 737-9, and 737-8200 airplanes that are not radio altimeter tolerant must have their airplane flight manual (AFM) revised before any further flight in Canadian airspace. The FAA estimates the AFM revision takes 1 work-hour at $85 per airplane and that up to 8…
- Options to remove AFM limits cost money: mixed, high. Operators may eliminate the AFM operating limitations by modifying a non-radio altimeter tolerant airplane to a radio altimeter tolerant configuration. Optional modification costs listed include up to $120,000 for radio altimeter replacement, or up to $14,040 for a filter-addition option (24 work-h…
- No action for tolerant airplanes: benefit, high. If a Boeing 737-8, 737-9, or 737-8200 is determined to be a radio altimeter tolerant airplane using an FAA-approved method, no actions are required by this AD and the AFM limitations do not apply. The AD states that airplanes already demonstrated tolerant performance under the 3.7–3.98 GHz criteria…

## Related documents

- [2026-15585](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-15585): Requirements for Interference-Tolerant Radio Altimeter Systems, 2026-07-31
- [2026-13440](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-13440): Enabling Supersonic Overland Flight, 2026-07-02
- [2026-13126](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-13126): Designation-Restrict the Operation of Unmanned Aircraft in Close Proximity to a Fixed Site Facility; Extension of Comment Period, 2026-06-30
- [2026-08943](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-08943): Designation-Restrict the Operation of Unmanned Aircraft in Close Proximity to a Fixed Site Facility, 2026-05-06
- [2025-04846](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-04846): Extension of the Prohibition Against Certain Flights in the Territory and Airspace of Libya, 2025-03-20
- [2025-03853](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-03853): Enforcement Policy Regarding “Drug and Alcohol Testing of Certificated Repair Station Employees Located Outside of the United States; Corre…, 2025-03-11

## Sources
- [2026-13208 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/06/30/2026-13208/airworthiness-directives-the-boeing-company-airplanes)
- [2026-13208 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-06-30/pdf/2026-13208.pdf)

## Related
- [Previous: 2026-13207, Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-13207)
- [Next: 2026-13216, Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-13216)
- [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-13208 (as of 2026-07-07).