EASA AD CF-2025-14R1
Navigation — Minimum Equipment List (MEL) Item Prohibitions when Operating in Canada due to 3.45 to 3.98 GHz frequency band (5G C-Band) Wireless Broadband Interference
Summary
Airworthiness Directive CF-2025-14R1 titled 'Navigation — Minimum Equipment List (MEL) Item Prohibitions when Operating in Canada due to 3.45 to 3.98 GHz frequency band (5G C-Band) Wireless Broadband Interference' applies to Airbus Canada Limited Partnership aeroplanes Model BD-500-1A10 and BD-500-1A11. This directive addresses restrictions on operating under certain MEL items due to potential interference from 5G C-Band wireless broadband affecting radio altimeter performance. It aims to ensure safe operation within Canadian airspace considering the 5G spectrum environment.
What Changed
This revision updates the definition of applicable MEL items to include new items introduced in the Transport Canada Master Minimum Equipment List for the affected aircraft models. It maintains the prohibitions on dispatching aircraft under specified MEL items when operating in Canadian airspace unless conditions related to 5G protected runways are met. The directive supersedes the previous AD CF-2025-14 issued in March 2025.
Why It Matters
The directive is critical for aviation professionals because 5G C-Band interference can cause radio altimeter failures or misleading information, potentially compromising flight safety through loss of flight protection functions or inadvertent control surface deployment. Operators and maintenance teams must comply to avoid unsafe dispatch conditions and ensure adherence to Canadian regulatory requirements. It also aligns Canadian regulations with FAA standards for radio altimeter tolerance.
What To Do
Operators of Airbus Canada BD-500-1A10 and BD-500-1A11 aeroplanes must comply with the MEL item prohibitions within 30 days of the directive's effective date, 26 May 2025. Non-radio altimeter tolerant aircraft are prohibited from dispatch under the specified MEL items in Canadian airspace, while radio altimeter tolerant aircraft may operate only at designated 5G protected runways. Approved alternative means of compliance from the U.S. AD CF-2023-47 are accepted for Canadian operations.