Wed, Dec 23, 2015
The 2020 Mandate Deadline For ADS-B Out Is Getting Closer, And The Rules Allow Experimental Airplanes To Use Less Expensive Equipment
The Federal Aviation Administration published a technical correction in the Federal Register a while back that allows future installations of ADS-B out equipment to meet performance standards of the appropriate Technical Standard Order (TSO) specifications without meeting the complete TSO requirements.
For FAA type certificated aircraft, the ADS-B out equipment must be TSO’ed for the airplane, and that makes it more expensive to produce and sell. Here again, we see an advantage to the owner of an airplane certificated as experimental amateur built (E-AB). The ADS-B out installed in an E-AB must still meet the performance standards as a TSO’ed unit, and there’ll be no difference in how it operates.
Historically, builders and owners of experimental aircraft have been able to install avionics that meet the performance standards of certified equipment but are not specifically approved by the FAA. This precedent now applies to ADS-B equipment installation as well.
Just in case the ADS-B out requirement is still a gray area, let’s review what it does for you. ADS-B out will be taking over the job that is now handled through your transponder. While it’s referred to as the 2020 mandate, that doesn’t mean all aircraft have to meet the mandate.
The best way to think of this requirement is; if you fly into airspace today that requires a transponder, and want to keep flying in that airspace, you’ll have to meet the ADS-B out 2020 mandate. If you intend to operate your aircraft in airspace that does not require a transponder, the 2020 ADS-B out mandate has no effect on your operation.
Also remember that there is such a thing as ADS-B in. This feature of ADS-B gives you all kinds of neat information such as current weather radar information, NOTAMs, and the location of other air traffic, but there is no mandate that you have it.
(Image from file)
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