FAA, NBAA Issue Joint Reminder on ADS-B Equipage Mandate

National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) President and CEO Ed Bolen joined today with Dan Elwell, acting administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), to issue a reminder to the business aviation community to install Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast Out (ADS-B) equipment on their aircraft before the FAA’s Jan. 1, 2020, deadline.

“Without ADS-B, your operation will not be able to continue flights into any of the nation’s largest metropolitan areas,” reads the letter to business aircraft operators. “Additionally, you will be required to fly at lower, less efficient altitudes. If you have not yet installed rule-compliant ADS-B Out equipment, or scheduled an appointment, we encourage you to do so as soon as possible.”

The FAA first published its ADS-B rule in May 2010, as a significant step toward its Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen), which will replace radar-based aircraft position reporting for air traffic control (ATC) with satellite-derived, GPS data.

As of January 2020, ADS-B Out will be required to operate an aircraft in much of the nation’s controlled airspace, including at and above flight level 180 and in areas surrounding Class B and Class C airports. The FAA order also mandates ADS-B equipage for operations in Class E airspace throughout the contiguous United States at and above 10,000 feet MSL, excluding operations at and below 2,500 feet above ground level, and when flying at and above 3,000′ mean sea level within 12 nautical miles of the U.S. Gulf Coast.

The letter further notes that many aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) organizations are reporting near-capacity ADS-B installation schedules, making it imperative that operators schedule equipage soon to ensure their aircraft may continue flying in controlled airspace after Dec. 31, 2019.

The letter from the FAA and NBAA comes as part of an overall effort by the association to provide resources for ADS-B compliance, including articles in NBAA’s Business Aviation Insider magazine, editions of the NBAA Flight Plan podcast, posts on the association’s social media platforms and other tools. Those with questions about ADS-B compliance can contact NBAA Senior Manager, Flight Operations and Regulations Brian Koester at (202) 783-9454.

“Although our industry has made great strides toward increasing ADS-B equipage rates ahead of the deadline, there is still work to be done,” Bolen added. “Operators need to equip for ADS-B to ensure they may continue flying in support of companies and communities, into 2020 and beyond.”

Read the ADS-B equipage appeal from the FAA and NBAA.

Review NBAA’s ADS-B resources.