UAvionix Offers ADS-B Rebate for Experimental Aircraft

The FAA announced recently that it will reinstate the $500 ADS-B rebate in an effort to motivate aircraft operators to install the equipment that will be required in most airspace in a little more than a year. However, because the rebate applies only to certified aircraft, uAvionix, which offers several low-cost ADS-B units for both experimental and certified aircraft, announced that it will offer its own rebate to help out.

Since the cost of experimental ADS-B equipment is less than for certified aircraft, the uAvionix rebate is limited to $150. And you need to act fast to get that money. To get the rebate, you need to buy an eligible uAvionix system from a dealer by November 15.

The system then needs to be installed, a process that uAvionix claims is quick and easy. For example, the company’s tailBeacon attaches to the outside of the airplane and replaces the tail beacon with an ADS-B/light combination. uAvionix says the installation process should take less than one hour.

An operational test, called the Public ADS-B Performance Report, or PAPR for short, is required. The report has to be sent in to uAvionix before the end of January, 2019, in order to get the $150. With the rebate, you can be ADS-B compliant for as little as $1,299 if you purchase the company’s echoUAT bundle, which has to be wired into the airplane. The tailBeacon costs $1,499 after the rebate.

The company’s skyBeacon, the certified unit that attaches to the wingtip, qualifies for the FAA rebate and is therefore not eligible for the uAvionix rebate.