The European Commission has issued a Eurocontrol notice of proposed rulemaking (ENPRM) mandating ADS-B after Feb. 5, 2015. At that time, all aircraft operating in European airspace must transmit ADS-B Out signals and meet Eurocontrol’s enhanced mode-S surveillance standards. Although still in the public comment stage, the final rule is expected late next year.
Broadly similar to the earlier FAA NPRM, there are several differences. Neither WAAS nor EGNOS, the European equivalent, will be required; less demanding GPS performance criteria are specified; ADS-B Out is described clearly as an interim stepping stone to ADS-B In; and aircraft weighing less than 12,500 pounds with a cruise speed of less than 250 knots are exempt.
The aviation community’s rejection of the NPRM, as happened with the FAA, is unlikely, European sources have said. The EC document was written from the outset with extensive user and service provider participation.
The FAA issued an updated NextGen implementation plan on Jan. 30. It includes full ADS-B ground station coverage in the U.S. by 2013, although the agency isn’t targeting mandated aircraft equipage until 2020 at the earliest.
