The FAA’s network of ADS-B transmitters is growing fast. In the past 18 months the number has mushroomed, and by the end of the year there should be at least 800 sites up and working. ADS-B, which the FAA officially mandated in 2010 for full adoption by 2020, is the NextGen surveillance technology, though sadly it will not stop us from having to keep our Mode-C transponders. There are added benefits: In addition to futuristic traffic capabilities, ADS-B gives pilots with ADS-B In capability (that is, those receiving the signal as well as transmitting it) in-cockpit weather for free.
To get a birds-eye view of the state and rate of ADS-B’s growth, check out this cool animation, courtesy of ForeFlight, developers of ForeFlight Mobile Pro.
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