However, unless general aviation pilots decided to go a step further and equip their aircraft for ADS-B In, their flight deck situational awareness was little improved.
My epiphany on this subject of ADS-B occurred a couple of years earlier. I had flown our university fleet equipped with ADS-B In since 2003, but my pocketbook dictated the lower-cost Out option for our personal ride. Then, my attitude changed. Climbing east out of Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport (KMYF) in downtown San Diego, I switched from tower frequency to approach control and immediately heard the collision alarm ringing in the background.

Bringing my eyes smartly up from the BendixKing KX-155 radio face, I was greeted by the sight of a Cessna twin in my windshield. We were offset slightly, and each banked hard away from the other, but the passage was close enough to read the N-number without much difficulty.

For those unfamiliar with this particular patch of airspace, traffic heading both east and west encounters a shallow band of uncontrolled airspace between the top of the Gillespie Field (KSEE) 2,400-foot Class D airspace, located a few miles west of Montgomery-Gibbs, and the 4,800-foot floor of the San Diego Class B. Nearly all traffic in this little piece of sky is either climbing or descending, so cardinal altitudes are not much help. I had a long time to think about that close call on the two-hour flight back to Prescott, Arizona, and decided right then and there that we would find the extra bucks to go for the whole enchilada, ADS-B In. I have not regretted that decision.

• READ MORE: A Short Flight Home Takes A Heart-Stopping Detour

ADS-B In, Out, or Both?

When I decided to break the piggy bank and install ADS-B In, the cost was fairly significant. And with an FAA mandate approaching, discounts were hard to come by. Today, the opportunities for ADS-B In and Out installations are much more affordable. Additionally, portable ADS-B In solutions are available that data link to your iPad. However, not all ADS-B systems are created equally.

Above 18,000 feet, and generally around the world at all altitudes, 1090 MHz ES (extended squitter) rules the roost. However, in the U.S., below Class A airspace, 978 MHz UAT (universal access transceiver) is preferred. Most transponders have both, but some portables may, or may not. UAT allows the ADS-B In user to obtain flight information services (FIS-B) for weather and useful flight information, and traffic information services (TIS-B). TIS-B provides non-ADS-B radar target information from local ATC radars through the ADS-B ground stations.

The moral of this story is that it is up to each pilot to fully understand what information and protections their particular ADS-B In system provides.

‘O Canada’

Once across our northern border, the FIS-B and TIS-B services provided by the U.S. 978 MHz UAT are no longer available. And while the FAA remains committed to its ground-based system, Nav Canada is rapidly converting to satellite-based ADS-B. Pilots flying in Canadian Class A airspace after August 10, 2023, are required to have antenna diversity. This is a fancy term for an additional antenna on top of the airplane.

The satellite-based ADS-B mandate extends to Class B airspace in May 2024, and likely to the rest of Class C, D, and E airspace in the 2026 to 2028 time frame. Some lower-cost ADS-B Out solutions already meet that requirement, especially those mounted on wing and tail beacon sockets. However, many legacy ADS-B In solutions will require an additional antenna, and some systems may not support antenna diversity at all. All good things to know if you are flying north to enjoy the amazing Canadian hospitality.

ADS-B Under VFR

For the record, in the VFR environment, the “Mark One Eyeball” mode is still king. However, in this see-and-avoid environment, ADS-B really shines. GA aircraft are pretty hard to see more than a couple miles away. If the lighting and contrast are just right, our little planes might be visible from 4 to 5 miles away, but that is the exception to the rule.

Once the sun sets, visibility is much better, especially on clear nights with landing, strobe, and position lights on. However, at night long-range depth perception can be a problem. A 10-mile distant target can appear close, and vice versa. Day or night, ADS-B In makes it easier to correlate the range to the target and find the perfect quiet spot in the practice area, 15 miles ahead. However, ADS-B In is only a tool, and a thorough visual scan is critical. Outside of controlled airspace, some aircraft have ADS-B In, some ADS-B Out, and some have nothing at all. So, relying on the ADS-B traffic display to separate us 100 percent of the time is unwise.

ADS-B is also very useful when approaching a nontowered or Class D airport. Ten miles out, ADS-B In is a great planning tool to identify who is in the pattern, who is approaching the airport, and where we might sequence in. Once we get closer, the transition to visual separation and reliance on the aural warnings provided by the ADS-B In system become the better option.

ADS-B Under IFR

ADS-B presents your aircraft differently on the radar controller’s scope. Traditionally, radar targets update every six seconds for approach control and every 12 seconds for an en route display. ADS-B targets update every second, so controllers see them move smoothly across the screen. In the en route environment, this allows radar controllers to reduce separation from 5 nm to 3 nm. On the other hand, with ADS-B In targets fed into our flight deck display, it can be mighty tempting to “help out” the air traffic controller.

Resist this temptation to assist by quietly changing speed or direction. Self-separation is not allowed in the IFR environment. However, if a pilot sees that they are losing separation with other traffic, or that a change in their clearance might help smooth out the traffic flow, the controller will welcome the call, issue updated instructions, or explain why not.

All Towers Are Not Equal

Federal ATC towers are most often equipped with the same ADS-B, and primary and secondary radar found in the approach control. However, some FAA contract towers are not, so following their instructions to the letter, keeping your eyes out the window, and monitoring the ADS-B In display is a great backup to ensure safe separation.

“What we’ve got here is a failure to communicate.”—Cool Hand Luke

Gone are the days of “Tally Ho,” climb to “Angels 15,” and, even more recently, “Taxi into position and hold.” These “Battle of Britain” holdovers sound great but did not make it into the pilot/controller glossary. However, when we hear pilots identify traffic on ADS-B, it often sounds like, “got it on the fish finder,” “gadget,” or “gizmo.”

Maybe we should just call it what it is, ADS-B, and remember that “visual contact” is still the gold standard.

The Leap from Out to In

Four years after the ADS-B mandate, the options for both ADS-B In and Out are plentiful, and we are all still finding ways to use it. ATC has embraced the technology, and the pilots flying in the system are pleased with the increased situational awareness and safety provided. The leap from ADS-B Out to ADS-B In is particularly startling. Every pilot I have interviewed has been amazed at just how much traffic they had been missing. Maybe that has been your experience as well.

Fly safe and keep a sharp eye out for traffic!

Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in the JAN/FEB 2024 issue of Plane & Pilot magazine.

The post Pro Tips for Private Pilots: ADS-B, Are You ‘In’ or ‘Out’? appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

Often overlooked among the nearly identical Bonanza line from which it is derived, some 1,300 examples of the Beechcraft Debonair were built from 1959 to 1967 as a more affordable alternative. Despite being presented as the budget alternative, however, it offered similar capabilities and shared many of the same parts. Today, many have been further modified with niceties that close the gap even further.

• READ MORE: BEECHCRAFT MODEL 33 “BONANZA”/ “DEBONAIR”

Based in the southwestern U.S. for the past 35 years, this particular Debonair has 5,340 hours on the airframe and only 280 hours since major overhaul on the upgraded Continental IO-470K. Other notable upgrades include an alternator STC, more easily serviceable Cleveland brakes, and a dual yoke that enables you to share flying duties with a companion.

A unique and attractive paint scheme is nicely accented by a refreshed interior that was reupholstered with new fabric in 2005. The panel is nicely organized and easily upgradable, with a neat radio stack and intelligently arranged flight instruments. A uAvionix Skybeacon satisfies ADS-B out requirements, opening up airspace options for your cross-country flying. 

You can arrange financing of the aircraft through FLYING Finance. For more information, email info@flyingfinance.com.

The post Bargain Buys on AircraftForSale: 1960 Beechcraft 35-A33 Debonair appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

• READ MORE: CubCrafters Unveils Infrared System for Backcountry Safety

Climbing access is made easier with doors on each side of the fuselage, and because the Legend Cub’s fuel tanks are in the wing, a solo occupant has the choice of flying from the front or rear seats. Because it uses the same basic airfoil as the original Cub, flying and handling qualities are largely unchanged…but the 120-horsepower Jabiru engine and Sensinich composite/wood prop provide far more thrust than the original Cub engines, adding a comfortable safety margin when taking off from short strips and clearing departure-end obstacles.

Inside, this Legend Cub has been equipped with modern Garmin avionics, including a panel-mounted Aera GPS and ADS-B in and out capability. An SL40 radio and CHT monitor round out the clean panel, and an intercom enables clear conversation between pilot and passenger.

As an experimental aircraft, this airplane enables the owner to perform their own maintenance. Best of all, the new owner can enjoy peace of mind that it was built with proper attention to detail, as it won first place in the 2009 Experimental Cactus Fly-In.

Pilots interested in the flying experience of a 1940s-era Cub with the benefits of modern materials and technology should consider this 2008 American Legend Cub, which is available for $60,000 on AircraftForSale.

You can arrange financing of the aircraft through FLYING Finance. For more information, email info@flyingfinance.com.

The post Bargain Buys on AircraftForSale: 2008 American Legend Cub appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

It is a VFR day, and it sure looks like you have the sky to yourself when suddenly the ADS-B comes alive with “Traffic. 12 o’clock, 2 miles. Same altitude.” You look around frantically but don’t see the other aircraft. Or maybe you’re in cruise flight in what appears to be an empty sky when suddenly you see the traffic off your wing at the same altitude. As you take action to avoid the other aircraft, you wonder why the ADS-B that you paid thousands of dollars for didn’t utter a sound or provide a visual annunciation warning.

Can you relate to these scenarios?

Automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast, or ADS-B, became law in January 2020, ostensibly to make the skies safer—but has it worked? Researchers from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University are asking pilots to fill out a survey about their use of ADS-B to help determine if and how pilots are using the technology, and if it has helped curtail the number of midair accidents.

“We want to determine how effective ADS-B is in reducing the number of midair collisions in general aviation,” said Douglas Boyd, Ph.D., an adjunct research professor at Embry-Riddle.

Boyd holds several pilot certificates and has more than 1,500 hours of flight time. He and a colleague are studying midairs in hopes of finding a way to mitigate them. According to Boyd, how a pilot uses ADS-B is key.

“Where do they get their annunciations? Is it from the panel or from their iPad? Where is the iPad in the cockpit, and so forth,” Boyd said.

There are 15 questions on the survey, one of which asks how often pilots have received a warning about traffic and not been able to visually acquire it outside the airplane.

“There has been a large number of responses from pilots who experienced this,” saod Boyd.

Some pilots are also surprised to learn that non-ADS-B aircraft will show up on ADS-B some three to 13 seconds after the radar beam sweeps over them, then the pilot receives a traffic advisory from the ADS-B, but it may not be helpful.

“The aircraft can go a long way in those 13 seconds,” said Boyd.

The survey takes about five minutes to complete, and the window to do so will be open until the end of October.

To take the survey, scan the QR code below or visit www.surveymonkey.com/r/PR3GPJS.

The post How Do You Use ADS-B? appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

We’re here to answer your ADS-B questions, and we know what they are, as well as what they aren’t. We’re starting with the latter. You already know that the deadline is near. In a matter of months. You already know what you need to do. Install ADS-B Out in your plane. You already know what that entails: a new ADS-B transponder or an upgrade to your existing one (this is not common) with a certified WAAS source. Lastly, you probably already know that your flight options will be pretty severely restricted without ADS-B. Forget about flying in Class Bravo or Charlie, flying above 10,000 feet in most of the nation and flying in most Class Echo airspace, as well.

Here are some questions you don’t know the answers to.

1. Now that you’ve waited this long to equip, will you still be able to get it done in time?
2. Are there any new options for equipping with ADS-B that didn’t exist back when you should have gotten going on this?
3. With such a small percentage of the fleet equipped, will the FAA relent and give GA a break, extending the deadline or easing the ADS-B No-Fly Zone?

The answer to numbers one and two are the same: yes, no and maybe. Which is one of the greatest problems with putting things off until the last minute. You’ve procrastinated your way into a good deal of uncertainty. Do we have answers? We do. How sure are we of those answers? Just as with the Magic 8-Ball, you might be hoping for an answer like, “Reply hazy. Try again,” or even “Better not tell you,” but in this case, for the last one the answer seems pretty clear. There’s no way the FAA is going to extend the deadline. Come Jan. 1, 2020, if you’re not equipped, your options are instantly limited.

Is there good news for procrastinators? Well, I hate to say it, but kind of. The argument many pressed early on, that if they waited, better, cheaper ADS-B boxes might appear, has actually proven pretty spot on. The $250 ADS-B solution never happened and never will, but the prices have come down, and, even more, the value has gone up. Take Garmin’s new GNT 375, a full-fledged multifunction WAAS navigator that also does ADS-B. It’s not cheap, but you get so much more than a navigator and so much more than an ADS-B Out box. And up until early April, no one outside of Olathe knew it existed.

And there are newish alternatives that are less costly to install, too, mostly because they take less time to install. UAvionix’s wingtip ADS-B Out solution is a quick and easy install, or so the company claims. But even if it takes three times longer to install than it says, it’s still a quick install.

But Can You Still Find A Shop To Do This?

Okay, so you’ve waited until the ADS-B equipage deadline is less than six months away. The question is, even after you find that perfect box, will you be able to find a shop to install it? In some cases, if you’re lucky. But it’ll get harder the longer you wait, and not a little bit harder every day. We think it will be more like the way that hitting something when you’re going twice as fast doesn’t hurt twice as much but four times as much. When it comes to ADS-B, that thing you’ll be hitting is a brick wall, and the name of that brick wall is Jan. 1, 2020.

Our best advice? Check out these ADS-B solutions, make a decision, find a shop and make it happen right now, because if you’re going to get lucky, it’s probably not going happen on Nov. 28 (Turkey Day) and probably not on Dec. 25, and absolutely no ADS-B miracles will come to pass on Dec. 31, when people around the world will be saying “Happy New Year,” and among pilots, the happiest of those will be the ones with an ADS-B solution snug as a bug in their favorite plane’s panel.

ADS-B In and Out

Garmin GNX 375

Introduced this spring, the GNX 375 from Garmin is an all-in-one nav/ADS-B solution that provides premium features in a compact package. The touchscreen display, made for Class I and II aircraft as well as experimentals and homebuilts, features ADS-B Out through a 1090 MHz ES transponder, as well as a dual-link ADS-B In receiver. On top of the subscription-free weather and traffic that come with that, the GNX 375 provides a number of advanced nav capabilities, a key highlight being the ability to accommodate LPV approaches down to 200 feet. Creating flight plans is easy thanks to predictive text offered by the unit as you type, and Bluetooth allows fliers to share plans quickly between devices. The unit integrates with other Garmin displays and at 2 inches tall is also compatible with older course deviation indicators. MSRP for the GNX 375 is $7,995.

Lynx NGT-9000

The Lynx NGT-9000 provides all the perks of ADS-B In and Out in an easy-to-use touchscreen format that packs a punch in terms of capabilities. The unit’s high-resolution, full-color display allows users to swipe between different pages of info—for example, one that shows NEXRAD weather, METARs, AIRMETs and SIGMETs, as well as a separate temps and winds aloft page. When viewing traffic, the Lynx allows users to see the type and groundspeed of nearby aircraft, and users have the option of adding ATAS for audible traffic alerts. Equipped with a 978/1090 dual-band receiver, the unit provides the necessary coverage for aircraft flying at any altitude, and the built-in WAAS GPS means no external GPS connection is required. Users can feed ADS-B traffic and weather to popular aviation apps via the Lynx’s WiFi connection. The unit starts at less than $5,500, with options for ATAS, eTAWS and other add-ons available at an additional cost.

FreeFlight RANGR 978

FreeFlight’s RANGR 978 line provides a time-tested and flexible option for pilots looking for ADS-B In, ADS-B Out or both. The series has been on the market for several years and offers boxes with or without internal GPS as well as an all-in-one dual-band solution. The TSO-certified units are all WiFi-equipped and pair with a vast array of apps, including ForeFlight, WingX Pro, Jeppesen FliteDeck and more, to bring sub-free weather and traffic. The units, which are available for a wide range of GA aircraft, are priced between $3,000 and $5,000.

Garmin GTX 345

The GTX 345 mode S 1090 extended squitter transponder from Garmin provides ADS-B Out and In in a comprehensive unit that checks all the key boxes for ADS-B benefits. The 1.65-inch transponder fits in a traditional stack opening and features a dual-link receiver, allowing fliers to take advantage of full ADS-B traffic and weather and stream it to portable devices. Optional WAAS GPS is available for pilots without a pre-existing unit in their panel, making the 345 fully compliant with the 2020 mandate. The unit, priced just under $5,000, also provides audible traffic and altitude alerts and can be configured using dual antennas for a diversity solution.

ADS-B Out

skyBeacon

The skyBeacon is a great option for those looking for an ADS-B Out solution that won’t require the dismantling of the flight deck and expensive installation fees. The innovative product comes in the form of a nav light, meaning it can be installed in a matter of minutes by replacing a traditional aircraft position and strobe light. It features ADS-B Out via a UAT transmitter and a blade antenna, as well as integrated WAAS GPS and an altitude encoder. The skyBeacon works with any mode C or mode S transponder, and once it’s installed, users can configure it using uAvionix’s accompanying app. In some cases, a fairing is required for aircraft models for which the skyBeacon design isn’t compatible. With such quick installation and a price tag lower than $2,000, the skyBeacon proves a hassle-free and affordable way to meet the looming FAA mandate.

Stratus ES and ESG

Appareo has two solid options for ADS-B compliance in the form of the Stratus ES and ESG transponders. The former, priced at $2,495, provides ADS-B Out when paired with select navigators from Garmin and Avidyne, while the later provides WAAS GPS in the box for $500 more. The 1.65-inch transponder boxes were made for cockpits without glass, and they both make use of an aircraft’s existing altitude encoder and transponder antenna. The ESG requires the installation of a GPS antenna, which is included in the purchase price of the product. Both units connect with the Stratus 3i receiver to provide a full view of ADS-B weather and traffic.

Trig Avionics TT22

For those with minimal panel room to spare, the TT22 is a compact Mode S transponder that can fit into a 57-mm round instrument hole. The key to its space-saving design is that it comes in two components, one of which can be installed anywhere in the airframe. The TT22 includes an integrated altitude encoder and pairs with a number of different brand-name position sources, including units from Avidyne, FreeFlight, Aspen, Garmin and Trig, to provide ADS-B Out Compliance. The TT22, which is splash-proof and available for less than $2,000, features backlighting and allows users to manually adjust the brightness.

Garmin GDL 82

The GDL 82 from Garmin is a datalink with a built-in WAAS GPS that connects with an airplane’s existing mode A/C transponder to provide ADS-B Out compliance for aircraft flying under 18,000 feet. One of the more affordable ADS-B options on the market, the unit is incorporated into the transponder and antenna cabling in the underbelly of the aircraft, resulting in less downtime in comparison to panel ADS-B installations. The unit automatically transmits the squawk code and altitude from the aircraft’s transponder, making the aircraft ADS-B Out compliant. The unit is compatible with a number of ADS-B In units, such as the GDL 52 and GDL 39, providing pilots with a fuller traffic picture. The unit is priced at $1,795.

BendixKing KT 74

This slide-in mode S transponder is designed to take the place of the popular BendixKing KT 76 and KT 78 transponders. The KT 74 makes use of the previous unit’s mounting hardware and wiring harness, making installation of the new unit a much less timely and costly affair than it is for other products. The 74 broadcasts on the 1090 MHz frequency and pairs with a number of different GPS systems, such as those from Aspen, Garmin and, of course, BendixKing, in order to provide ADS-B Out compliance. With a sleek design and extra features, such as altitude alerts, the AKT 74 provides a clean and simple user interface. The unit is available for less than $2,500.

ADS-B In Portables

ForeFlight Sentry

This portable ADS-B In receiver delivers FIS-B weather and dual-band traffic to a pilot’s ForeFlight app, along with a slew of other in-demand features for fliers looking to take full advantage of the benefits of ADS-B. The small $499 unit, which attaches to the aircraft via a quick-release suction cup and mount, includes a WAAS GPS, back-up attitude, weather replay and, uniquely for an ADS-B receiver, a CO monitor. The Sentry’s battery allows it to run for more than 12 hours on a single charge, and it can stream data via WiFi to up to five different devices.

Garmin GDL 50

The GDL 50 from Garmin provides a reliable ADS-B In receiver that pairs with a variety of different apps, including Garmin Pilot, FltPlan Go and Foreflight. The unit streams information via Bluetooth as opposed to Wi-Fi, and in addition to subscription-free weather, it provides traffic info via Garmin’s Target Trend traffic awareness technology, which gives pilots a dynamic view of the aircraft surrounding them in relation to their own motion. The GDL 50 is also equipped with GPS and attitude sensors that enable use of synthetic vision. The unit, priced at $749, can run up to eight hours before it will need a recharge.

XGPS190

Like the Sentry, the XGPS190 provides traffic and weather for popular aviation apps via a dual-band receiver, along with WAAS GPS and AHRS, which allows users to utilize synthetic vision on their devices. The unit is compatible with a variety of different apps, such as FlyQ, WingX and others, and can connect to two different devices at once via Bluetooth. The XGPS190 features a removable antenna and can run for up to five hours in ADS-B mode. The unit comes with a price tag of $699.99.

Related Reading: Four ADS-B Receivers To Consider

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Related Reading: Game-Changing Avionics from Garmin

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