In this video from FunPlacesToFly.com, Anthony Arispe talks about the installation of the Navworx ADS-B unit in a Cessna 172. He also reviews the tools involved, plus a full explanation of the entire system.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mioqZwwq-4&w=560&h=315]
As attractive as it may appear to some, the Navworx unit is still likely $3000 to $5000 to install (whereas instead, with revision of proper FAA and RTCA specs for NIC and NAC, it could have instead been done for under $500). Further, the Navworx unit still can’t see critical Mode-S based aircraft without using fatally flawed and FAA unique ADS-R, that isn’t available in critical airspace, and will never be deployed in many of the mixed airspace use places most needed, and is viewed as being a ridiculous diversion in the CNS-ATM global market. Finally, installing anything now is suspect, since the entire concept of FAA’s ADS-B is fatally flawed, as presently defined, and there isn’t a prayer it will stand as an actual 2020 requirement. In fact, even the airlines already know this about ADS-B with their miniscule present equipage, and likely will get relief to defer to at least 2026, using ADS-B installations that are much more sensible (i.e., NON WAAS based). So anyone installing any FAA spec ADS-B at this point is likely just throwing away good money, for a throwaway piece of equipment, that will never adequately address the real NextGen issues that GA, UAVs, and the airlines face. This is all going to be driven by the small UAV market anyway, where there needs to be a vastly better solution, for UAVs to fly in mixed airspace, that is ultimately going to drive all of GA’s low end ADS solutions, requiring vastly lower cost and less complexity, as well as even portability. So Navworx gets an A+ for effort, but a C- for any new actual real breakthrough, or solution, largely responding simply to the present FAA fatally flawed criteria for ADS-B. But a “Nice try”.