# 2026-13217: New Flight Limits Target 5G Risks on Boeing 787s

2026-13217, 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/2026-13217
- As of: 2026-07-07
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2026-13217
- Title: Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes
- Type: Rule
- Agencies: Transportation Department; Federal Aviation Administration
- Citation: 91 FR 39388
- Published: 2026-06-30
- Effective: 2026-07-01
- Comments close: 2026-06-14
- Significant: no
- Touches household money: yes
- Regulation identifier numbers: 2120-AA64
- Last updated: 2026-07-07

## In one line

New Flight Limits Target 5G Risks on Boeing 787s

## Summary

The FAA is updating rules for Boeing 787 airplanes because their radio altimeters can get mixed up by 5G signals in Canadian airspace. This can mess with landing systems, making landings longer and less safe. Starting July 1, 2026, pilots must follow new manual instructions to avoid these problems, keeping flights safe without extra costs for airlines.

## Abstract

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all The Boeing Company Model 787-8, 787-9, and 787-10 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 as a result of this interference, certain airplane systems may not properly transition from AIR to GROUND mode when landing on certain runways, resulting in a longer landing distance than normal due to the effect on thrust reverser deployment, speedbrake deployment, and increased idle thrust. 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

- AFM Change Required Before Canada Flights: cost, low. If you operate a Boeing 787 that is not radio-altimeter tolerant, you must revise the airplane flight manual (AFM) before any further flight in Canadian airspace to add limitations that prohibit certain landings and use of certain MEL items and to add operating procedures for landing distance calcu…
- Optional Modifications To Remove Limits: cost, high. Operators may modify airplanes to become radio altimeter tolerant; doing so terminates the AFM limitations. Optional actions listed include radio altimeter replacement costing up to $120,000 per airplane, or a filter-addition option estimated up to $14,040 per airplane (24 work-hours × $85 = $2,040…
- Addresses 5G Interference Landing Safety Risk: benefit, high. The AD addresses a safety problem where radio altimeters can be interfered with by 5G Lower C-Band signals in Canadian airspace (3.7–3.98 GHz), which can prevent systems from properly transitioning from AIR to GROUND during landing and lead to longer landing distances and possible runway excursions…
- Scope, Fleet Count, and Limited Applicability: mixed, low. The AD applies to all Boeing 787-8, 787-9, and 787-10 airplanes certificated in any category; the FAA estimates it affects 192 U.S.-registered airplanes. The FAA notes airplanes that do not operate in Canadian airspace will not have to comply with this AD.

## 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
- [2026-13217 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/06/30/2026-13217/airworthiness-directives-the-boeing-company-airplanes)
- [2026-13217 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-06-30/pdf/2026-13217.pdf)

## Related
- [Previous: 2026-13216, Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-13216)
- [Next: 2026-13218, Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-13218)
- [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-13217 (as of 2026-07-07).