The Society of Broadcast Engineers filed comments with the Federal Aviation Administration in response to a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that it says would greatly enhance the aviation regulator’s authority over electromagnetic interference and telecommunication facilities.
The SBE filing asks the FAA to defer to the FCC in matters related to preventing or resolving EMI issues.
The notice proposes requiring those intending to build or alter structures near private use airports with an FAA-approved instrument approach to notify the FAA earlier than currently required. The rulemaking notice also proposes that “notices be filed with FAA when any structure which supports a transmitting antenna on certain frequency bands is added or modified, so that its EMI (if any) can be evaluated.”
Those requirements will “extensively broaden the FAA’s limited jurisdiction over EMI and telecommunications facilities,” the filing said.
The SBE also asked the FAA to clarify whether the proposed rules would apply to SNG vehicles operating in the 14GHz to 14.5GHz band.
“These stations are classified by the FCC as ‘temporary fixed.’ SBE's reading of the NPRM is that the proposed rules, even if adopted, would not apply to SNG trucks, but asks that the FAA explicitly address this issue in the Report & Order to this rulemaking,” the filing said.
For more information, visit www.sbe.org.