Briefing: April 2019

ADS-B innovator uAvionix is offering an online instruction program to qualify A&Ps to install its recently certified skyBeacon ADS-B Out device and its soon-to-be certified tailBeacon product. The skyBeacon adds the ADS-B transmitter to wingtip navigation or nav/strobe lights and requires no panel work or antenna installation. The tailBeacon replaces the position light on the tail. The simple system satisfies the FAAs Jan. 1, 2020 mandate requiring ADS-B Out on aircraft operating in almost all controlled airspace. The devices cost less than $2,000 and installation time is about an hour. The program is in response to demand from shops and independents across the country. uAvionix said it hopes to alleviate the building backlog of conventional ADS-B installations, which can take up to 25 hours of shop time.

Editorial Staff

Tuesday, March 19, 2019 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

uAvionix is expanding its network of certified installers for its low-cost, simplified ADS-B Out devices (skyBeacon and tailBeacon) to help meet the 2020 mandate and reduce installation backlogs.
Airbus will cease production of its A380 Super Jumbo in 2021 due to insufficient orders, as airlines prioritize more cost-efficient twinjet aircraft.
Sling Pilot Academy launched an accelerated program using Light Sport Aircraft (LSAs) to train aspiring pilots from scratch to instructor ratings, aiming to alleviate the ongoing pilot shortage.
ForeFlight introduced a new 3D Airport View feature, integrating mapping and synthetic vision to provide pilots with immersive virtual tours of airports for enhanced familiarization and safety.

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uAvionix Expands Installation Network

ADS-B innovator uAvionix is offering an online instruction program to qualify A&Ps to install its recently certified skyBeacon ADS-B Out device and its soon-to-be certified tailBeacon product. The skyBeacon adds the ADS-B transmitter to wingtip navigation or nav/strobe lights and requires no panel work or antenna installation. The tailBeacon replaces the position light on the tail. The simple system satisfies the FAA’s Jan. 1, 2020 mandate requiring ADS-B Out on aircraft operating in almost all controlled airspace. The devices cost less than $2,000 and installation time is about an hour. The program is in response to demand from shops and independents across the country. uAvionix said it hopes to alleviate the building backlog of conventional ADS-B installations, which can take up to 25 hours of shop time.

Airbus Ends A380 Program

Airbus announced in February that it will no longer take orders for its flagship A380 aircraft and production will end with the last of the existing orders in 2021. The order book for A380s has never matched its public fascination as cost-conscious airlines instead moved to new twinjets that have the same or greater range as the Super Jumbo but much lower operating costs. The fate of the double-decker aircraft was sealed with order cancellations from Qantas and Emirates, both of which will be buying A350, Boeing 787 or the new Boeing 777X for their long-range routes.