ADS-B Out Avionics: Importance of equipping before the deadline

17, Sep, 2018

The United States Federal Airline Administration’s deadline for owners to equip their aircraft with ADS-B Out avionics is January 1, 2020. This is a requirement for all aircraft flying in U.S. controlled airspace. The only exemptions from this mandate are aircraft that fly in uncontrolled airspace and aircraft without electrical systems, such as balloons and gliders.

ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast) is radically new technology that redefines the three pillars of communications, navigation and surveillance in Air Traffic Management today. As a viable low-cost replacement for conventional radar, ADS-B enables pilots and air traffic controllers to “see” and control aircraft with more precision, and over a larger percentage of the earth’s surface, than has been possible before. Learn more in our blog post about ADS-B technology and how it works.

If you’ve already equipped your aircraft, then you’ll understand that ADS-B is transforming airspace by providing more precision and reliability than the current radar system, enhancing safety and increasing situational awareness.

If you haven’t yet considered equipping your aircraft with ADS-B Out avionics, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association provides several benefits of doing so including:

The ability to fly in ADS-B airspace at any time.
Enhanced safety and additional situational awareness from traffic.
Increase in airframe value if equipped with ADS-B prior to the January 1, 2020 deadline. With the high volume of aircraft forecast to require ADS-B installation, owners could experience scheduling delays and full shops as the deadline nears.
Maintain airframe value after the 2020 deadline as aircraft not ADS-B equipped could fall in value.
More efficient search and rescue with ADS-B’s GPS-based surveillance which provides more accurate information about an aircraft’s last reported position.
More efficient spacing and optimal IFR routing in nonradar environments.

Time is running out. There are only 15 months left until the January 1, 2020 deadline. If you have any questions about equipage – whether you need to or not, what equipment to get, etc., contact Brant Aero.