Page 5 - Volume 11 Number 6
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on ADS-B
NextGen, the FAA’s initiative to transform Air Traffic Control (ATC) from a ground-based radar tracking system to an aircraft-based, satellite positioned tracking system, has driven the FAA mandate that aircraft operating in airspace that now requires a Mode C transponder must be equipped with at least ADS-B Out by January 1, 2020.
ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broad- cast) is a satellite-based position and an aircraft-based transmission system that reports real time flight data automatically to ATC ground stations and local aircraft traffic equipped with ADS-B In receivers (see Figure 1 for a pictorial explanation on the next page).
What does this mean to you, the King Air owner/ operator?
It doesn’t matter whether the cockpit of your King Air holds any variation of legacy (steam gauge) equipment or the latest in glass cockpit technology, everyone will need to be ADS-B mandate compliant.
Why the change?
What’s wrong with the current airspace control system? The current system relies on ground-based radar technology originally designed in the early days of World War II. Yes, there have been advances in technology and upgrades along the way but, even so, this solution doesn’t have the capability to handle the projected increase in air traffic capacity or the required safety requirements associated with the demand.
This has been talked about enough over the past few years, that we all know the mandate is coming, and as stated by Bruce DeCleene of the FAA, “If you want reliable access to controlled airspace, you must equip for ADS-B.”
You may be wondering – when to equip, how to get there, what to get, how much it will cost, and how long it will take. I hope to answer some of the unknowns you have in this article.
When should I schedule my upgrade?
Yesterday! The latest statistics from the FAA show that of the 160,000 estimated aircraft requiring ADS-B modifications, only approximately 28,000 have been accomplished. After doing the math, that means each month between now and the mandate deadline 4,000- plus aircraft need to be retrofitted for ADS-B Out.
The longer you wait, the more expensive it will be and the longer the downtime will become. If you’re an infrequent flyer and extended downtimes aren’t an issue, maybe this will work for you. If you rely on your King Air for revenue generation, you better consider this sooner rather than later. The current lack of response from the aviation community, in general, to equip for ADS-B is getting ready to hit critical mass as manufacture supply and shop capacity are not going to be able to handle the workload as we fast approach December 31, 2019.
How to get there
In the general sense, an STC “paired” WAAS GPS receiver and transponder system is required. (LPV is a
by Bill Thompson
JUNE 2017
KING AIR MAGAZINE • 3