Mike Schumann wrote:
There are obviously some challenges in getting this commercialized.
The biggest challenge is to get the FAA to accept the notion that
there should be a VFR only version of ADS-B that is designed to be
cost effective, and does not provide the accuracy and reliability
levels needed for parallel instrument approaches in Class B airspace.
My gut instinct (I don't have any experience dealing with the FAA) is
that we can get the FAA to provide a mechanism so that this type of
device can be sold commercially at a ~$1K price point. Politically,
it would help a lot of the SSA, AOPA, and the EAA took the position
that universal deployment would be acceptable, if equipment was
available to the GA community at this price point.
Certainly, AOPA is already doing that. See this for their position on
ADS-B implementation:
http://www.aopa.org/whatsnew/air_traffic/ads-b.html
Some highligts from that page:
4. The cost of the ADS-B datalink system must be at or below today's
price of a Mode C transponder.
5. Once the ADS-B mandate becomes effective, aircraft should not be
required to be equipped with a Mode C transponder.
The AOPA-preferred UAT datalink is capable of providing pilots with
three separate but related services:
3. FIS-B (Flight Information Services). FIS-B data includes graphic
Nexrad weather radar and textual METAR/TAF data. In the future, FIS-B
services may include graphic TFR data.
I believe all glider pilots should also be members of AOPA. I've been
one for more than 25 years. They do a lot heavy lifting that the SSA can
not, related to airplanes (think towplanes), airspace, required
equipment (ADS-B is the focus now), and pilot rights. The magazine is
ocasionally interesting, and the dues are reasonable.
--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA
* Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly
* Updated! "Transponders in Sailplanes"
http://tinyurl.com/y739x4
* New Jan '08 - sections on Mode S, TPAS, ADS-B, Flarm, more
* "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" at
www.motorglider.org