General Aviation News

No kidding: ADS-B 2020 deadline is firm

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The folks at the FAA say they have a sense of humor too, but an April Fool’s joke that the agency is extending the ADS-B deadline is just that.

As stated in the final rule published with industry input in May 2010, all aircraft flying in designated controlled airspace — generally the same busy airspace where transponders are currently required — must be equipped with ADS-B Out avionics by Jan. 1, 2020.

Only aircraft that fly in uncontrolled airspace, and aircraft without electrical systems, such as balloons and gliders, are exempt from the mandate.

FAA officials note that time is running out — there are only 21 months left until the deadline.

If you have any questions about equipage — whether you need to or not, what equipment to get — you can find answers on the FAA’s Equip ADS-B website.

For information about ADS-B, visit the ADS-B website.

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Comments

  2. THIS DIRECTLY FROM THE FAA ADS-B FAX WEBSITE:

    Does Exemption 12555 mean airlines don’t have to equip with ADS-B by the mandate date?

    No, Exemption 12555 does not exempt the requirement for ADS-B Out equipment to be installed and operational on aircraft flying in ADS-B rule airspace starting January 1, 2020. It allows for the extended use of an older type of GPS navigation receiver already installed in some aircraft. All other ADS-B Out equipment requirements must still be met and operational by January 1, 2020. The exemption was granted because the kind of GPS navigation receivers suitable for transport category aircraft that meet the ADS-B Out Rule requirements will not be available for purchase or installation in sufficient quantities until closer to 2020. The exemption imposes certain conditions, limitations and additional pre-flight responsibilities on the operators.

  3. Complying seems to be less and less of a big deal, especially if only the “OUT” is required. As a pilot flying in medium-density airspace. I welcome the day when most planes will be more visible to me.

    • Yes …ADS-B has always been a good idea, especially to see other nearby aircraft…. just NOT the way FAA is doing it, or using it.

      This airline exemption is a huge deal, with the airlines getting this source relief by exemption until at least 2024 (and by then, the entire program and NextGen will likely change). The FAA Website explanation is massively misleading. GA needs to get the same exemption, allowing our existing ADS-B capable transponders to be connected to ANY GPS source… (just like Canada and Australia), and NOT requiring 91.227/RTCA DO-260B compliance (with excessively constraining NIC and NAC).

      Had FAA done this initially (just like Canada and Australia) ADS-B could now be costing under $500 for any aircraft (or even some drones) now to comply, with no foolish UAT or ADS-R needed.

      So while ADS-B is still a fundamentally good idea (as originally conceived back in the days of FANS 1, for “air vehicle-air vehicle state vector exchange”), FAA’s version of ADS-B (for Pseudo radar) is still an utterly foolish house of cards, that is going to be a total mess by 2020.

  4. No kidding? The real April fool’s joke may be on the FAA. The airlines have critical source relief to 2024 with an exemption, DoD has even said they’re NOT going to comply, some foreign airlines are thumbing their nose at FAA with no expectation of meaningful enforcement, due to likely retaliation on US operators by their “state of the operator”, drones have no hope of complying, air-vehicles like gliders are already largely exempt, and GA is equipping at such a low rate that there is no expectation whatsoever of the level of compliance FAA originally intended. At places like KNUW Class C airspace, GA would be nuts to have to equip when the adjacent Growlers and Hornets will not be equipped. If FAA is so foolish as hold the line in 2020 for GA aircraft in many if not most places covered by 91.115, they are going to massively decrease the residual value of tens of thousands of aircraft for which it is completely illogical to equip, if not even ground many thousands of other aircraft.

    Worst of all, NextGen is heading straight for a massive $40B failure (read the DOT IG report). The entire concept of FAA’s misuse of ADS-B (for driving ATS separations via “Surveillance” with pseudo-radar) is going to have to eventually be rethought anyway. There is not a prayer FAA’s version of ADS-B is going to solve the NextGen riddle of capacity, efficiency, cost, or safety, failing to meet the goals originally intended for NextGen (PastGen?).

    So don’t hold your breath about which way this April Fool’s joke will eventually turn out.

      • You may or not be correct. I have been compliant with my plane for almost a year and have enjoyed the capability of both knowing that I am more visible to others and can also see planes previously not visible. See and be seen! I also know the direction of their flight and wherher their altitude is a factor. You may argue that I may only see 40% or 60% of the aircrsft out there, but that is far better than what I used to see in the previous 40 years of my flying. I choose to see it as a glass half full….possibly more than half.

        • That’s the way I see it, even though most of my flying is not in mandated airspace. The free FIS-B is a plus in my book.

          Mandating only ADS-B Out without In being part of the mandate is baffling to me, though.

          Something not readilly discussed is 1090 vs 978. 1090 is required in Class A airspace and when going international. My GTX345 with 1090, 978 and Bluetooth for Foreflight is the cats meow.

          Cooperate/graduate, in this case, works for me.

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