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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 a looming January 1, 2020, deadline for ADS-B OUT, installation rates are slow, leading to concerns about overwhelmed avionics shops.
  • Owner procrastination is driven by confusion over numerous upgrade options and a perceived lack of significant new benefits beyond what portable ADS-B IN devices already offer.
  • Key deterrents to installation also include the high cost (around $10,000) amidst economic recovery struggles and a fear that current ADS-B technology will quickly become obsolete.
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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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