ADS-B is a source of much consternation at the recreational end of general aviation. More accurately, ADS-B Out is the source. Actually, it’s the Jan. 1, 2020 ADS-B Out mandate. The very same mandate FAA Administrator Huerta has repeatedly stated will not be delayed.
Simply put, ADS-B Out — Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast — is a periodic broadcast of aircraft information (altitude, speed, position, etc.) to satellite and ground-based targets that allow other aircraft – if properly equipped – and ATC to see you.The FAA announced on March 30, 2007, that it was seeking proposals for the contract to provide ADS-B services for the national airspace system. For those keeping track, this was nearly three years before the launch of the ubiquitous iPad from Apple.
The FAA release states “The national contract will require the selected vendor to provide ADS-B surveillance and broadcast services for the nation’s airspace. Under the contract, the vendor will install, own and maintain the ground infrastructure, while the FAA pays for the surveillance and broadcast services. Employing this kind of performance-based service contract will give the government greater flexibility in meeting future changes in air traffic.” [emphasis added]
The first generation Stratus (an ADS-B receiver) was launched by Appareo Systems, in partnership with Sporty’s Pilot Shop and ForeFlight, in March 2012. Today, not yet three years on, the capabilities of Stratus make the first generation look antiquated. And Stratus is far from the only player in the field. Just ask Levil Technologies, NavWorx, Dual, Garmin, Sagetech and SkyRadar.
So? Years ago, I learned it’s better to seek forgiveness rather than permission.
So, I’d love to see all the young and hungry ADS-B developers add “Out” functionality to their products. Rather than worry about the letter of the ADS-B rule (and the associated cost, complexity and certification), go ahead and honor the spirit of the rule.
Periodically broadcast aircraft information to satellite and ground-based infrastructure from your equipment. After all, that is what the FAA let out in March 2007. They even structured the contract to give themselves, “greater flexibility in meeting future changes in air traffic.”
I’d suggest the FAA start stretching.
A working ADSB receiver without software can be purchased for $20 as a usb stick. That does not solve the OUT requirement. The least expensive solution is an ourright SWAP of your MODE C transponder for the MODE S. Normally, there would be no “installation cost” since you could do the swap. There’s
a gotcha. That box also needs a GPS receiver AND a separate antenna. That incurs an avionics shop cost for the coax, drilling holes, affixing the GPS antenna. The other hidden cost is making the box compliant which has always been a problem as a one time cost to the manufacturer. The other is an FCC requirement on any transmitting device. Some of this could be avoided if the FCC permitted the current boxes noted above to be purely portable. Suction cup it somewhere and no STC needed. But wait, there’s more. China is already doing “stuff” that equals the US. I will bet that China will come up with a box BEFORE we do. So if we can get the youth in this country to stop watching junk TV and go for an education, we can stay ahead of China. If not, the Chinese FCC will soon be technologically ahead of the FCC and they will be dictating the rules. PS: The FAA funded MITRE years ago to develop a $500 compliant box for those cute chain saw powered gliders. What happend to that?
@ Kevin. Yes, the MITRE unit was called UAT (more appropriately named Useless Aviation Transponder). That’s because most other airplanes with Mode S can’t see UAT, either within the US, or globally. And UAT can’t see ANY of the actual highest treat fast moving collision traffic either (e.g., most other airplanes with Mode S), without also having FAA’s ridiculous ADS-R service, which isn’t and can’t ever be everywhere. Hence, UAT doesn’t work where and when you need it most, and is NOWHERE internationally. UAT was an ill-advised and hugely expensive boondoggle on “day one”, that neither FAA nor GA can afford, and is completely unnecessary. If the FAA simply did what all other ~185 countries in the world are doing (e.g., Canada and Australia) and use a single spec for Mode S based ADS, which can be seen on its own, BUT instead, without ANY ANSP or ADS related re-transmission required, and a proper position specification (not necessarily even requiring GPS), we could have ADS-B capability for well under $500. We could have then even had portable units for parachutists, hang-gliders, LSAs, Cubs, and UAVs. So UAT isn’t at all the answer, even if it were free. UAT was one of those once FAA theoretically attractive ideas conceived by someone inexperienced in aviation, that just plain can’t work, and doesn’t practically work. In fact, UAT just makes the whole airspace situation and “cost-per-unit-separation service” worse, deterring a real solution. Instead, just like 185 other countries, FAA should have stuck with an interim Mode S based ADS-B solution for civil aviation, but with substantially re-allocated and relaxed requirements for NIC and NAC. This would have allowed for use of ANY aviation quality GPS unit to drive ADS-B (not even an IFR GPS unit is actually needed, for some very complex fundamental reasons). We could still have a $500 or less solution if we and the airlines and other airspace users all push back, and refuse to go along with FAA’s seriously flawed plan. And don’t look for any $500 unit out of Asia to solve the problem for GA in the US in the future. Now, with 30+ GPSs, Galileo, and other constellations being launched, with SA off, combined with low cost IRUs in tiny UAVs, and eventually networks of GBAS, …Asia (and everyone else too) doesn’t need and doesn’t use FAA’s obsolete and hugely expensive WAAS (Worthless Aviation Augmentation System, now the FAA’s new answer to MLS).
Excellent comments and corrections. Thanks.
1. Would the FAA approve a portable IFR certified GPS receiver to generate the location information required by ADS B out?
2. Would any developer of portable hardware risk their investment in creating something the FAA will not accept?
3. Could the FAA make it illegal to transmit ADS B out which is not generated from an IFR certified GPS?
I believe all we need is for GARMIN and others to generate ADS-B out from their iPad devices by 2020, cheaply., less than $1,000. We would all be happy.
It would/will be devastating to the owners of hundreds and hundreds of airplanes based at the numerous airports within the 30 mile veil of STL to comply with this 2020 mandate, as it now reads. The all-glorious FAA hasn’t thought this through (what’s new) … unless their underlying intent is to permanently ground a bunch of airplanes. I am retired from active aviation (12000 + hours, ATP, CFII, MEI, Adv. Grd & Inst. Grd, etc) but still own a little 150, based at ALN, with daughter who now is my ‘chief pilot’. We fly Young Eagles whenever possible and are active members of the local EAA Chapter. But it doesn’t make much sense to install THAT kind of overpriced equipment in THAT type of airplane …. let alone all the homebuilts and LSA’s in the area (unless they are lucky enough to not having an electrical system).
Dale, I think it is pretty safe to assume that the powers that be at the FAA and its umbrella agency the DOT (not everyone, mind you, just the heavy hitters) have come to the conclusion that something is going to have to give in the ever-crowded American skies, and that thing is recreational flying. Passenger jet and private biz jet transport is steadily increasing, the military wants airspace for training and testing, and commercial giants such as Amazon are champing at the bit to use smaller drones as a regular part of their businesses. FAA has already thrown a bone to the geezer pilot crowd in the form of no-medical SLA (which are plenty expensive but useless to many pilots), and there is always fun to be had in gliders and hot air balloons.
Though no Fed dares to clearly state that “the time of the recreational private pilot is over”, passive-aggressive policies from foot dragging on 3rd class medical reform to expensive ADS-B-out equipment mandates and ridiculous “sterile hangar” rules etc. seem to have no rational objective other than making recreational flying more and more expensive, and less and less attractive.
I would love to be proven wrong.
Portable ADS-B out units are already available.
http://adsb.skyguardtwx.com/uat-transceivers/
It is true that if avionics vendors simply built what makes sense, especially if it met present Canada or Australia criteria, while dumping FAA’s ridiculous requirements for ADS-B like needing WAAS, and present NIC, and NAC, …and the vendors simply used any reasonable interface to any present GPS, or even to RNAV FMS capable systems such as those using DD-IRS3, or equivalent, …FAA would eventually be hard pressed to say “No” in 2020. This is because even FAA’s present ADS-B concept is totally vulnerable to airplane electrical system failure, spoofing, jamming, non-cooperative targets, GPS dropout, and a host of other failure modes. It would never pass a valid and properly done SSA, FHA, or FMEA. Further, there will always be a need for other independent (non-cooperative) surveillance. Hence there is NO WAY the 2020 mandate can stand using FAA’s present flawed, overblown, and seriously irrelevant criteria, that virtually no-one internationally (beyond avionics vendors thinking they will make a fortune on equipment sales), will ever support. So FAA’s present ADS-B is a dead duck on arrival. That’s why there’s been little said in public since the October “Call-to-Action” meeting, because even the FAA likely knows its present ADS-B plan is flawed and doesn’t stand a chance. Hopefully the re-authorization hearings will force FAA to finally recognize the folly of their current ADS-B plan. Both a reset of NextGen, and FAA’s very foundation is long overdue.