With the 2020 mandate for ADS-B Out equipment for aircraft flying in controlled airspace rapidly approaching — and the FAA offering a $500 equipment rebate to the first 20,000 aircraft owners to get in line — now is a great time to commit to a unit to avoid the mad rush before the compliance deadline. But there is a long list of offerings on the market, and choosing one product over another can be difficult.
NextGen Now: Choosing the Right ADS-B System
Key Takeaways:
- The 2020 ADS-B Out mandate is approaching, requiring aircraft in controlled airspace to install compliant equipment, with options ranging from Universal Access Transceivers (UAT) for non-Class A/international flights to 1090ES transponders for Class A/international, often including integrated WAAS GPS.
- Many ADS-B systems, priced from approximately $2,000 to over $8,000 (plus installation), provide both ADS-B Out compliance and valuable ADS-B In capabilities for displaying weather and traffic on panel-mount or portable displays/apps.
- A wide variety of products are available from manufacturers like Garmin, L-3, Avidyne, FreeFlight, NavWorx, and Appareo, each offering different features, integration with existing avionics, and installation considerations, making it crucial to consult with an installation shop.
- While portable ADS-B units offer excellent in-flight weather and traffic information (ADS-B In) on tablets and other devices, they do not fulfill the mandatory ADS-B Out requirement.
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