Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2017-2018 - 40

ADS-B AIRSPACE

Continued from page 39

"This is where the highest density of general
aviation aircraft is located and where there are a lot
of Class B and C airports," said Jens Hennig, vice
president of operations for the General Aviation
Manufacturers Association.
As an example, AOPA is headquartered in
Maryland at the Frederick Municipal Airport - a
general aviation airport where about 150 aircraft are
based. The airport is 1 mile inside the Washington,
D.C., metropolitan area's Mode C veil - home
of Baltimore Washington International Airport,
Washington Dulles International Airport, Reagan
National Airport and Andrews Air Force Base. The
Mode C veils of these major airports overlap to form
a veil over the entire metropolitan area, which will
affect about 1,200 general aviation aircraft based in
the area.
Nationwide, more than 20,000 general aviation
aircraft are based at airports under a Mode C veil, and
those owners need to recognize how little time they
have left to install ADS-B before the FAA rule takes
effect.
"There are many general aviation pilots who do not
fully understand where rule airspace is located," Duke
said. "Pilots should investigate how rule airspace
affects them and take action soon."
ADS-B Out improves safety, provides surveillance
in some areas not covered by radar and provides
better air traffic services to pilots. By installing
optional enhanced ADS-B In capabilities, pilots using
a Universal Access Transceiver can enjoy traffic and
weather information that can improve their situational
awareness. Both UAT and Mode S transponders with
ADS-B In can receive Traffic Information System-
Broadcast traffic information in the cockpit, while
UAT can also receive Flight Information System-
Broadcast weather and aeronautical information.
Mode S transponders operate on 1090 MHz, a
frequency that does not have enough bandwidth to
receive FIS-B.
The FAA recently launched the Equip 2020
initiative, a partnership between aviation community
groups and government to encourage and help
aircraft owners equip with ADS-B. The Equip 2020
working group dedicated to general aviation includes
organizations such as the Aircraft Electronics
Association, AOPA, GAMA, the Experimental Aircraft
Association, and aircraft and avionics manufacturers.

The working group is advising general aviation
airport managers, avionics repair shops, fixed
base operators and aircraft owners of the need to
understand whether operations in and out of an
airport will require ADS-B Out starting in 2020.
"The FAA wants to make sure all owners of
businesses that support general aviation aircraft at
affected airports know about Class B and C airspace
and the Mode C veil and notify their customers," said
Jim Marks, FAA ADS-B Focus Team Lead. "We are
planning an extensive national outreach program
to get the word out. We are working with trade
associations who are willing to help us in this effort."
The outreach began at the 2017 Sun 'n Fun
International Fly-In and Expo at Lakeland Linder
Regional Airport in Florida. Marks noted that eight
airports including Lakeland are under the Mode C veil
within 30 nm of Orlando.
"We figured there couldn't be a better event to start
this communications outreach effort," Marks added.
GAMA's Hennig said it's essential that all aircraft
owners and repair shop mechanics become familiar
with FAA rule airspace over and near their general
aviation airport.
"Many aircraft owners haven't reviewed the FAA rule
in enough detail to see how it will affect them at the
airport where their aircraft is based and the areas where
they fly," he said.
Hennig said aircraft owners now ask more detailed
ADS-B questions at the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh flyin compared with five years ago, but those pilots are
extremely active in the general aviation community.
He knows many general aviation aircraft owners
are not as engaged or informed about the ADS-B
rule, and may not have asked their mechanics or
equipment vendors any ADS-B questions.
He also is concerned that not enough business
jet owners are engaging with service centers about
ADS-B, but he pointed out that affordable ADS-B
solutions are available for legacy business jets with
aging avionics systems. Some of those solutions
were announced last fall at the 2016 National
Business Aviation Association Convention and
Exhibition.
To complete an ADS-B installation before the
Jan. 1, 2020, deadline, aircraft owners should start
to research available equipment and schedule an
installation since appointments will become more
difficult to obtain as the deadline approaches.
For more information on ADS-B, visit www.faa.gov/
go/equipadsb or aea.net/nextgen. q

- 40 -

http://www.faa.gov/go/equipadsb http://www.faa.gov/go/equipadsb http://aea.net/nextgen

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2017-2018