Posted by Katie A. on Apr 1st 2022
Are you ADS-B equipped? It’s the Law!
You may have heard Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) is required for certain aircraft in certain areas. Here are some ADS-B basics.
ADS-B consists of two types, ADS-B Out and ADS-B In. Only ADS-B Out is required for certain aircraft. ADS-B Out broadcasts a signal using position data as well as other information. It then sends that signal to ground based locations where it can be received by air traffic control as well as other ADS-B equipped planes. ADS-B in receives the signal in the aircraft and displays pertinent data to the pilot.
ADS-B Out is only required in certain areas. It is required within Class A, B, and C airspace. It is also required in Class E airspace above 10,000 feet. It is required within 30 nautical miles of the primary airport in Class B, also known as a mode C veil. Finally, it is required over the Gulf of Mexico at or above 3,000 feet and within 12 nautical miles of the coastline. ADS-B is available throughout the United States and most of Alaska. It is also available in Guam and Puerto Rico. The FAA is working to make ADS-B available and affordable for all pilots and aircraft owners.
Some of the benefits include increased situational awareness and safety, more efficient search and rescue operations if needed, effective spacing of aircraft and optimal IFR routing in a non-radar environment. ADS-B allows aircraft to be seen. This would be especially useful at non-towered airports when you are operating within the vicinity. It will help ATC sequence aircraft for IFR approaches at airports and give better position reports than primary radar.
Basically, the mandate is for increased safety. Thousands of airplanes operate in United States airspace every day. The goal of ADS-B is to see and be seen. It has proven useful in several instances where without it, midair collision would have been inevitable. It provides for better separation between aircraft. Separation services are only provided under instrument flight rules (IFR) and even then, it is only separating you from other IFR traffic. Air traffic control towers do their best to point out traffic within their airspace but it is not always their first priority, especially when operating under visual flight rules. ADS-B is important because one day it could save your life.
At marvgolden.com we have a great selection of ADS-B receivers.