Get compliant with
ADS-B Out
EASA and FAA established the ADS-B Out mandate, which requires all aircraft operating in Europe or US airspace to have serviceable ADS-B Out equipment. The Mandate Deadline for aircraft operating in US is January 1, 2020 and for aircraft operating in Europe – June 7, 2020.
The best you can do in order to avoid the likely increasing prices and last minute surprises, is to plan and schedule your installation now. For your own convenience, coincide it with your next Heavy maintenance check and make the most of your downtime.
What you need to know
In the growing digitalization of aviation industry new terms are coming into effect every now and then, but keeping up with them and understanding them can sometimes be complicated. Probably you have already heard about ADS-B since everybody uses the term, but very few really know what it stands for. ADS-B is probably the most significant technological change in the aviation for the upcoming few years and its understanding is very important.
ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast) is a radically new technology which increases capacity and efficiency of airspace by expanding the ATC (Air Traffic Control) surveillance into more areas and allowing ATC to fit more aircraft into smaller airspace. The new digital infrastructure allows aircraft to self-report their exact GPS position.
Knowing the precise location allows aircraft to fly more direct routes, which on its side saves time, reduces fuel consumption and has better impact on the environment. Not affected by weather, the new digital infrastructure is more reliable.
ADS-B Out is the "broadcast" part of ADS-B, which allows equipped aircraft to constantly transmit aircraft data such as its identity, precise location and other information, collected from onboard systems, to ATC.
Aircraft capabilities
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Regulations and importance
Can you afford to be grounded?
ADS-B Out is an airspace requirement and to comply with it all aircraft have to be equipped with a 1090-MHz ATC Mode-S Transponder (compliant with DO-260B), an SBAS-enabled GPS receiver and a transmitting antenna by 2020, so the aircraft will be able to broadcast information to ATC centers in real time from the time of takeoff until the aircraft has landed and taxied to the gate. SBAS (Satellite Based Augmentation System, also known as EGNOS in Europe and WAAS in US) is an air navigation aid. SBAS is a system of satellites and ground stations that provide GPS signal corrections, giving better position accuracy. At heart SBAS was developed to permit the aircraft crew to rely on the GPS for all phases of flight.
In Europe Aircraft operating under instrument flight rules and with a maximum certified take-off mass exceeding 5700 kg or having a maximum cruising true airspeed capability greater than 250 knots are required to fly with ADS-B out by June 2020. In the US FAA made it clear that there won't be any extension of the deadline and if by 2020 you don't keep up with the ADS-B Mandate and your aircraft is unable to transmit the required signals, you will be forced to fly below 10 000 ft and avoid A, B and C airspace, certain Class E and other specified airspace. Furthermore, those aircraft that are not equipped with the ADS-B Out by the deadline and use any large or most small airports will be grounded until they get the required equipment. 2020 seems far away from now, but the installation services need sufficient time, thus the modification may require multiple days work. As the deadline approaches, the MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) demand will increase and that might lead to capacity issues and limited availability, which on its side may result in extra charge.
