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Cost Vs. Benefit

Asizable number of pixels have been consumed recently in lamenting the slow rate of ADS-B OUT installations in advance of the January 1, 2020, deadline. On that date, operators will need ADS-B OUT to operate in airspace where a Mode C transponder is presently required. For most FLIB drivers, that means within the existing 30 nm-radius Mode C veil around Class B airports, within Class C airspace, and when at or above 10,000 feet msl.

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • Despite the January 1, 2020 deadline for ADS-B OUT, installation rates are slow, with confusion over upgrade options and the availability of cheaper portable ADS-B IN solutions reducing urgency.
  • Many aircraft owners perceive the benefits of a costly, hard-wired ADS-B OUT system as insufficient to justify the expense, especially when compared to existing low-cost ADS-B IN setups.
  • Economic constraints following the 2008 crash and a fear that current avionics investments will quickly become obsolete also deter owners from upgrading.
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Asizable number of pixels have been consumed recently in lamenting the slow rate of ADS-B OUT installations in advance of the January 1, 2020, deadline. On that date, operators will need ADS-B OUT to operate in airspace where a Mode C transponder is presently required. For most FLIB drivers, that means within the existing 30 nm-radius Mode C veil around Class B airports, within Class C airspace, and when at or above 10,000 feet msl.

The deadline isn’t likely to change, and the demand for time in avionics shops for installations will only grow. By late 2019, it’s likely installers will be forced to turn away business and schedule new installations for after the deadline. In my view, four factors are driving what to many seems like procrastination.

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