Air Line Pilots Association President Jason Ambrosi has written an opinion piece for Fox News calling on Congress to pass the ROTOR Act that has been passed by the Senate over the ALERT Act that was passed by the House. The basic difference in the two is the ROTOR Act would require ADS-B In in all aircraft in controlled airspace while the ALERT Act gives the FAA time to implement a next generation air traffic awareness system geared toward airliners called ACAS-Xa. It would also allow GA aircraft to equip with portable ADS-B In units that connect to electronic flight bags rather than be forced to install hardwired panel gear. The ALERT Act also gives the military more flexibility in deciding when and where it signals the presence of its helicopters, citing security concerns.
Ambrosi said having both ADS-B In and Out required on all aircraft is a straightforward and quick solution to add to pilot and controller situational awareness. “A full ADS-B In suite, as required in the Senate-passed ROTOR Act, would give pilots a clearer picture of nearby aircraft in the air and on the airport surface, along with early visual and audible alerts when the system determines that another aircraft may pose a collision risk,” Ambrosi wrote. “When proven technology is available today and the consequences are too great to ignore, Congress should not settle for a partial fix to this recently identified gap.”
I just don’t understand how ANY flight, military or not, training or not, nighttime or not, could be flying around Washington, DC, in general, and that close to the airport in particular, without an ADSB-Out unit firing full blast.
It may be a lot to ask, but I certainly hope AOPA and other GA organizations are standing beside the ALPA on this solution. This shouldn’t be a “party” issue, so all of the House needs to hear our voices. There’s no reason the ALERT act couldn’t follow afterward. Safety shouldn’t be a “pick-one” choice when “all of the above” is also an option.
I certainly hope not. For the reasons Richr brought up along with others. If the Alert Act is passed at the very least I could end up spending another $750 for a Uavionics unit that works with an IPad. The Rotor Act might end up requiring a panel mounted unit which might force me to sell my plane, for very little benefit for the cost. As currently set up ADS-B in is ADVISORY only, does not have the regulatory directive that TCAS II has. You are not allowed to use ADS-B in to deviate from an IFR clearance like TCAS II can.
Clear as mud 🙁
So ALPA wants me to put ADS-bs in my
Piper Cub? These are same guys that fight to support age-discrimination and keep forcing airline pilots out of a job when they turn 65? Screw you ALPA!!
ADS-B architecture, as implemented, has too much random delay to act as a TCAS “light” in the same way using NEXRAD is dangerous for tactical cell avoidance. Ghost contacts as system resolves inputs and bearing lags as some inputs are time delayed more than others makes a TCAS “light” concept unworkable and potentially more dangerous. ADS-B works as a situational awareness tool forcing it to do something beyond design spec is like putting a C172 thru high G acro and wondering why the wings departed the airframe.
…and whatever the next mandate, don’t forget to send the installation funding and legislative support that limits use to safety of flight or permission for acft owners to bill other data users with unlimited data usage fees.
…and not every cockpit has room for a monster iPad-like display to break out multiple contacts in close prox or multiple sets of eyeballs while in a sterile cockpit environment…don’t forget ADS-B is mandated for ground ops, so a bunch of airport ground contacts further clutters picture. Bottom line, “in-close” ADS-B can hinder visual lookout by adding to visual/ADS-B target correlation as bearing lags, ghosts or clutter adds “fog of war” to an extremis situation.
There is no rational reason to require every aircraft to have hard-wired ADS-B IN systems. Portables are fine for GA aircraft passing by. Hopefully some of the brighter minds in Congress can reconcile the two bills to make sure ADS-B Out is mandatory and always on in busy airspace.. That is worth keeping.
My issue with ADS-B out is that it has not improved the amount of traffic ATC can handle as promised by the FAA. Instead it has become an easier way for airports to charge fees and for others to track airplane uses. This can create security issues for those who need privacy that has been lost with the airlines.