Even before the Air Canada CRJ 900 and a fire truck collided at New York’s LaGuardia Airport killing two pilots this past March, the FAA has been committed to equipping airport vehicles with ADS-B transmitters. For starters, the agency is investing $16.5 million to equip its tech ops and other vehicles with ADS-B hardware, primarily uAvionix VTU-20 (20 watts) UAT units. Designed for an easy installation on nearly anything that drives on the airport surface, the VTU-20 shares tech that’s also built into the company’s budget-friendly skyBeacon and tailBeacon ADS-B Out systems for small GA airplanes. AvBrief’s Larry Anglisano talked with Cyriel Kronenburg at uAvionix to learn about the interface.
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I want ADSB-Out installed in ALL cars everywhere. There was a hot blonde at Walmart the other day, and I’d like to be able to track her whereabouts at any time, as well as get a text alert any time her car moves…
Funny and well said.
Who’s promoting tracking private vehicles with ADSB on Walmart parking lots? Yours is an irrelevant if not sophomoric example in opposition to what looks to be implementation of a genuine safety measure. Step out of your bland day VFR 172 at 70 mph on final mindset into a corporate jet or airliner at 140 knots on final at night in weather and rethink your proposition.
Who’s in opposition of the implementation of any *genuine* safety measures? Yours is an example of an attitude that’s typical of someone whose every need – including privacy and safety – is provided for by others. Step out of your employer’s flashy jet and into the position of someone coming home to some thug with a crowbar (who knew you were going to be out, thanks to ADSB) and rethink YOUR position.
Creepy
Yes, and that is exactly what your government is allowing private corporations to do to the population. Patrick illustrated it well.
“Fire truck, (STOP).” The tower knew exactly where that fire truck was.
Let’s be honest about this. J. Rockefeller was far more concerned about tracking the movement and privacy of the people with ADS-B than about safety. The corporations controlling government regulations are trying to destroy your 4th amendment privacy rights by even making it illegal for you to work on your own car because they want to collect information on you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wu4G7BwFSMU
I hope airport authorities will consider it too. I’ve experienced two incidents at nontowered fields, maintenance vehicles crossing the runway while I was on short final, not communicating on the radio.
Let’s concentrate on the equipment that is truly important rather than trying to track everybody all the time and spy on them.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/21/business/air-france-airbus-af447-guilty-verdict.html
ADS-B out only is not a real solution to this issue, unless the ground vehicles also get some kind of conflict alerting automatically. If the data only goes to the tower and the approaching aircraft, we have left out of the loop the point of failure causing the hazard (ground vehicle) and it’s just more data for over saturated air crews and controllers to manage.
In this case especially, ARFF providers need to rethink their response to non-emergent events; this was a FUMES complaint, the aircraft was not evacuated, and still operating, so why the need to get there so quickly? ARFF needs to recognize that lesser risks merit more cautious controlled responses at reduced speeds and as a lower priority event.
Lastly, for an agency like the Port Authority to NOT have this equipment already installed is ridiculous! This is an extremely well funded, equipped, trained, and staffed public safety agency and there is no excuse to not have every available resource for keeping their responders and the rest of the airport community safe.
As a former ARFF provider, this accident is completely on the driver of that ARFF vehicle for failing to see and avoid, period. No matter what the the tower clears you to do LOOK. No way if he looked would he not see approaching lights inbound given WX conditions reported.
(PatrickW: do you really want to know anyone who hangs at a walmart?)