LAS VEGAS – October 21, 2026 -- Collins Aerospace, an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business, will start upgrading its radio altimeters at its service centers in 2027, giving business aviation operators a route to meet new Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) operational standards without replacing existing systems.
Collins upgrades existing altimeter variants instead of requiring replacement
The company is offering simplified upgrade paths for its existing radio altimeter variants. Collins says the upgraded units meet the new FAA requirements and have demonstrated resilience to 5G interference.
Radio altimeters measure an aircraft's height above terrain and feed automatic flight control, cockpit instrument displays and warning systems. Collins designs its units to filter out false altitude returns caused by structures, nearby aircraft or ground features.
Tens of thousands of aircraft face a multi-year upgrade queue
The service-center work is part of a multi-year effort to bring business aviation fleets into compliance with the new standards. Because tens of thousands of aircraft will require updates, Collins advises operators to schedule early to avoid delays and meet upcoming deadlines.
Craig Bries, vice president and general manager of Airborne Electronics at Collins Aerospace, said updating existing equipment keeps compliance simple while improving safety, connectivity and precise navigation in the years ahead.
Altimeter upgrades sit inside Collins' wider airspace modernization program
The altimeter work forms part of Collins' broader airspace modernization efforts. These include avionics supporting increasingly capable operations and technologies that connect aircraft, controllers, infrastructure and data.