12 Days Left In 2019 & ADS-B Mandate Deadline Looms Large: Make Sure You Are Compliant

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LINCOLN, NEB — During the past several years, Duncan Aviation has encouraged aircraft owner/operators who upgraded to Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) prior to 2015 to make sure they’re in compliance with the FAA’s ADS-B mandate. The FAA’s mandate deadline is 12 days away and goes into effect at midnight on Tuesday, Dec. 31. It specifies transponders must be manufactured or upgraded to the DO-260B standard.

If you upgraded to ADS-B prior to 2015, it’s likely the transponders were manufactured to the DO-260/260A, which was an earlier requirement for flying in Australia and other parts of the world. The version the FAA adopted for the flying in United States airspace is DO-260B. The DO-260B standard was adopted because it eliminates latency and adds annunciation requirements. This standard was later accepted as the worldwide standard by all civil air authorities.

Collins’ transponders with part numbers ending in -409 and below are not compliant with the mandate and will need to be upgraded.

“The good news is if you’ve upgraded to the DO-260A standard, you’re typically Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS)-compliant, so you have the antenna and GPS sensors necessary and will need only the transponder upgrades,” says Regional Avionics Sales Manager John Spellmeyer.

One way you can make sure you are compliant with the ADS-B mandate is to check to see if your emitter is broadcasting signals reagarding your aircraft’s position, speed, location in relation to other aircraft, and other information to Air Traffic Control and other aircraft in the area where you’re flying. The FAA issued a report earlier this year warning that there was a high rate of non-performing emitters (NPEs).

Many of the aircaft with NPEs were likely installed more than four years ago or prior to changes made in the mandate and implemented over the years after its initial announcement. Some, however, may be a result of an improper installation or equipment configuation. Here are some common reasons the emitter may not be transmitting:

1. Incorrect software version or improper configuration. Either issue can reduce the accuracy of the aircraft’s position
2. Incorrect emitter category. This happens when the ADS-B system transmits the wrong emitter category based on its maximum take-off weight
3. Incorrect Flight ID. This happens when the aircraft’s registration for Mode S doesn’t match the Flight ID
4. Transmitting airborne data. An error when the signal is transmitting but the aircraft is on the ground

Test Your Compliance Before The Deadline

Roughly one hour after a flight, go to the FAA’s website (https://adsbperformance.faa.gov/PAPRRequest.aspx) and request a Public ADS-B Performance Report (PAPR). The PAPR helps you verify that your ADS-B equipment is functioning properly.

If you are unable to determine whether your AC is in compliance, send an email to the FAA (9-AWA-AFS-300-ADSB-AvionicsCheck@faa.gov) and include the following information:

1. Aircraft registration number (N-number) in the Subject line
2. In the body of the email, include:

1. Flight identification code
2. Flight date & time
3. Make/model of ADS-B transmitter and GPS
4. Any ADS-B avoinics operating abnormalities you have observed or reported during the flight

You should receive a report from the FAA showing what parameters of your system have failed.

If you have questions about NPEs, please call Duncan Aviation’s Avionic Tech Rep Marty Stevens at +1 269.565.3561 or Satellite Operations Manager Matt Nelson at +1 402.479.4202.

If you haven’t yet upgraded to ADS-B, you’ll need to put down your aircraft for a week or two. Although space in any of the Duncan Aviation Satellite Avionics Shops is extremely limited at this point, please contact:

• Regional Avionics Sales Manager John Spellmeyer(+1 316.214.8867 or email Spellmeyer@DuncanAviation.com) in the Western United States

• Regional Avionics Sales Manager Michael Kussatz(+1 531.207.3951 or email Kussatz@DuncanAviation.com) in the Eastern United States

About Duncan Aviation

Duncan Aviation is an aircraft service provider supporting the aviation needs of business aircraft operators, government agencies, and other aircraft service providers. Services include major and minor airframe inspections, engine maintenance, major retrofits for cabin and cockpit avionics systems, full paint and interior services, engineering and certification services, fabrication and manufacturing services, and preowned aircraft sales and acquisitions. Duncan Aviation also has international aircraft components solutions experts available 24/7/365 at +1 402.475.4125 who can handle any aircraft system problem with immediate exchanges, rotables, loaners or avionics/instrument/accessory repairs and overhauls. Complete service facilities are located in Battle Creek, Michigan; Lincoln, Nebraska; and Provo, Utah. We also have dozens of other facilities strategically located throughout the United States to provide customers with scheduled regional support and the quickest response possible to avionics, engine and airframe Aircraft On Ground (AOG) situations.

For more information about any of Duncan Aviation’s services, call +1 402.475.2611 or visit https://www.DuncanAviation.aero/services