Avionics News October 2015 - 62

GOT ADS-B?

Continued from page 61

The 2020 mandate won't change
Some members of the general aviation
community have wondered if the FAA
is going to stick to its 2020 mandate.
FAA Administrator Michael Huerta has
consistently said that the date for the mandate
won't change. In May 2015 during a speech
given at the Wichita Aero Club, Huerta
said, "Many of you have asked about that
deadline, and if it might be extended. The
answer is no - the date is set - so I want to
strongly encourage you to make plans to get
equipped as soon as possible. You don't want
to end up grounded in the early months of
John DenDekker, general manager of Carpenter Avionics at Smyrna Airport
in Smyrna, Tennessee, says there is confusion among operators on how to
2020 because of a parts or installation delay."
equip to meet the mandate.
As of October 2015, there are less than fourand-a-half years remaining to meet the mandate.
affairs with the Aircraft Electronics Association; Jens
That won't change because the entire world is
Hennig, vice president of operations at the General
standardizing on ADS-B.
Aviation Manufacturers Association; and Melissa
The FAA completed baseline, nationwide deployment
Rudinger, senior vice president of government affairs
of 634 ADS-B ground stations in 2014, as part of
with the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.
the agency's commitment to complete NextGen's
"Equip 2020 is helping educate pilots about the
foundational infrastructure by 2015. The agency is
benefits of ADS-B Out, a prerequisite for many ADS-B
encouraging general aviation aircraft owners who plan
In functions," DeCleene said. "This includes display of
to equip with ADS-B Out to do so as soon as possible to
traffic and a new capability that actually provides traffic
avoid the rush of last-minute installations. And general
alerts. While ADS-B In can be integrated into portable
aviation aircraft owners who also opt for ADS-B In
equipment, ADS-B Out must be installed in the aircraft
will see an immediate benefit in improved situational
to provide reliable GPS reception and transmission of
awareness for traffic and weather.
ADS-B Out messages."
Equip 2020 rapid progress
The big decision
Equip 2020 has made major progress in addressing
Hennig said every aircraft owner should start making
anything that might impede general aviation equipage
a decision now on what to do about ADS-B installation
with ADS-B.
because the decision can take a while to make and can
"In the past few months, we solved most of the major
follow several paths.
issues that have been out there for years with little
ADS-B Out uses GPS satellite technology to
progress," Gibson said. "Many people did not think
determine an aircraft's location, ground speed and other
these issues could be resolved."
data, and broadcasts that information to other aircraft
The FAA point man on Equip 2020 is Bruce
and to a network of ground stations. Aircraft with
DeCleene, manager of the Flight Technologies and
ADS-B In reception capability can receive positions
Procedures division in the Flight Standards Service. The
from other aircraft directly if both aircraft are operating
general aviation community has been well represented
on the same frequency or by relay from the ground. The
by Ric Peri, vice president of government and industry
62

avionics news

october

2015

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Avionics News October 2015