• 5G expansion sparks air safety crisis, new math solution offers lifeline.

• A global aviation-industry gamble: Fast internet vs. flight safety risks.

• Radio altimeter interference threatens takeoffs, landings in poor weather.

• Exclusion zones shaped by stochastic geometry optimize radio wave interference.

• Researchers urge informed policy-making to prioritize coexistence of 5G and aviation.

When the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and airlines like United raised alarms in early 2025 about deploying 5G networks near airports, the warnings struck a nerve with public safety advocates. The heart of the conflict? Concerns that the ultra-high-frequency 5G signals threaten the accuracy of aircraft radio altimeters—critical instruments for measuring a plane's altitude during takeoffs, landings and low-visibility flights. The rollout risked grounding planes and stranding travelers. Now, researchers at Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) have offered a mathematical breakthrough to strike a balance, blending aviation safety with telecom innovation.