Just two days left to try to stop an expensive and worthless FAA mandate on ADS-B

On Mar 4, 4:25*pm, wrote:
Larry Dighera wrote:
On Tue, 4 Mar 2008 12:34:43 -0800 (PST), K l e i n
wrote in
:
I think the cost estimates are totally bogus for the GA market. *After
all, it's only a GPS and a transmitter.
I'd be surprised if a complete GA market ADS-B Out/In system couldn't
be done for a couple thou.
Garmin sells hand-held GPSs for more than a couple of thousand
dollars, and they don't require any installation labor.

And a Mr Coffee goes for $9.99 at Walmart, neither of which will meet
the requirements of ADS-B as proposed.

What it SHOULD cost, if the proposal were sensible and allowed for
non-TSO handheld equipment, and what it WILL cost given the current
proposal requirements are two different things.

I read the requirements a little more carefully, and it is true that
ADS-B Out, as currently specified must be WAAS, etc. My bad.
However, eventually the FAA will figure out that it is in everybody's
best interest for low-cost units to become available, especially, for
the sport/antique/glider/etc community that has no way to install a
fully compliant unit. The FLARM being sold into European glider
community does all the "important" functions of ADS-B Out/In for
enabling collision avoidance at the $1000 cost level. Works about the
same too, except for lower power Out transmission. People buying
Cirrus and above aircraft will have no problem with the $10,000 cost
level. Garmin will be happy to serve them. FLARM and ZAON, etc will
be happy to serve the kilobuck market.

K l e i n

I read the requirements a little more carefully, and it is true that
ADS-B Out, as currently specified must be WAAS, etc. My bad.
However, eventually the FAA will figure out that it is in everybody's
best interest for low-cost units to become available, especially, for
the sport/antique/glider/etc community that has no way to install a
fully compliant unit. The FLARM being sold into European glider
community does all the "important" functions of ADS-B Out/In for
enabling collision avoidance at the $1000 cost level. Works about the
same too, except for lower power Out transmission. People buying
Cirrus and above aircraft will have no problem with the $10,000 cost
level. Garmin will be happy to serve them. FLARM and ZAON, etc will
be happy to serve the kilobuck market.

K l e i n

You have more faith in the FAA than I do. Have you read the NPRM?
You may be right about Cirrus buyers but what if the cost to a Cessna
owner is over $20,000 USD? This NPRM apparently was not vetted with
the stakeholders prior to release.

After learning more about it I am not sure that UAT is even
needed....and the weather and traffic elements from this system may
also be unneeded system drivers.

My current guess is that retaining Mode-C for GA (perhaps expanding
the equipage if a worthwhile mid-air risk reduction can be proven) is
adequate.

Find a way to reduce the cost of XM weather. Ga folks who want
enhanced traffic detection can use flight following/traffic advisory
services from ATC and/or get a system such as offered by Zaon or
Monroy.

If the airlines, air taxi folks, cargo, etc want ADS-B...go for it.
They are assuming capacity improvements when the NPRM does not
guarantee that separation standards will happen.

Ron Lee

K l e i n wrote:

However, eventually the FAA will figure out that it is in everybody's
best interest for low-cost units to become available, especially, for
the sport/antique/glider/etc community that has no way to install a
fully compliant unit.

Good God! What makes you think that is the case? When has the FAA EVER
reduced the certification requirements of a piece of installed
equipment? I doubt anyone would argue that a pilot with 496 with WX is
in a better position to fly cross country IFR than the same pilot with
nothing other than an old VOR receiver and CDI. But only one of those is
legal for IFR flight.