Progress but a way to go yet...

ADS-B

During October GNZ (Tim Hughes and Max Stevens) met with CAA product certification management and engineers to find a pathway to enabling ADS-B for gliders. I’m delighted to report good progress was made.

The roadblocks that have been preventing gliders fitting suitable ADS-B systems have been

(a) approving suitable equipment (small, light+weight, low power consumption)

(b) getting ‘approved technical data’ (ATD) allowing engineers to install ADS-B in your aircraft

At present there is no legal pathway to approving the equipment most suited to gliders (TRIG TT21 or TT22 transponder combined with TRIG TN72 GPS receiver) because the TN72 is not certified to the IFR standard (TSO-C145) that is currently required.

To allow this equipment to be used, CAA are in the process of changing their ‘notice of technical requirement’ to allow them to approve non-TSO equipment. The updated notice is expected to be published before the end of the year. GNZ responded to the consultation for the notice, and will continue to petition CAA about it if there are concerns remaining once it is published.

Following that, CAA plan to determine the performance required of any non-TSO equipment. Provided that the equipment we have in mind meets these CAA requirements (and we expect it will), the way will then be open for us to use that gear in gliders. We anticipate that these requirements should come into force sometime during the first half of 2021.

In parallel, we are working on generating Approved Technical Data that covers ADS-B installations for gliders. This ATD will need to be accepted by CAA, and at the meeting CAA indicated that they are open to considering the ATD in parallel with the other work above, so that we are ready to go as soon as the equipment is approved for use.

Once approved, your friendly glider avionics engineer will be able to fit ADS-B OUT. The installation will then need testing and sign off by a class 3 avionics LAME.

Obviously, it will take a while to install ADS-B in the 150 or so gliders likely to need it. The above plan will work provided that the ADS-B mandate is delayed (and we have a ‘plan B’ if it isn’t). Although we cannot anticipate future decisions of the Minister of Transport, there is a growing expectation that the mandate will be delayed by at least 12 months for a number of reasons, so we are comfortable with the current plan.

CAA are administering the grant scheme for ADS-B. You can be eligible for two grants:

(1)  $2500+GST when you have fitted a conforming ADS-B OUT system (transponder and position source)

(2)  $500+GST when you have fitted ADS-B IN (receiver and display).

ADS-B OUT is a transponder system that tells everyone else where you are. It will be required in transponder mandatory controlled airspace, and useful everywhere.

ADS-B IN is a receiver system that lets you see where everyone else is.

Although we still have to wait a bit before installing ADS-B OUT, there is nothing stopping you from fitting ADS-B IN now. ADS-B IN involves an ADS-B receiver, and some method of displaying ADS-B traffic in the cockpit. There are a number of ways of doing this. If you have a flarm display, there are a variety of ways to add ADS-B traffic to your flarm situation display. When you have fitted one, apply for the ADS-B IN grant to offset your costs. (Although you can start now, there are new products in the wings you may wish to wait for – talk to your friendly supplier or sources).

ADS-B IN is highly recommended, as it will display nearby non-glider traffic as an aid to your visual scan. Other traffic is not normally on the glider frequency, so this can be a real benefit in uncontrolled airspace, as well as an advantage in controlled airspace. You will see commercial air transport aircraft, and any GA aircraft / helicopters / paragliders fitted with ADS-B OUT, at quite some range depending on the quality of your ADS-B IN antenna.

If you want to learn more about ADS-B, the CAA is running a series of webinars this month, using a virtual platform. There will be global perspectives from the US and Australia on lessons learned from their ADS-B transitions, best practice guidance for operators in New Zealand for its ADS-B transition, plus an ADS-B Grant Scheme update and Q&A.

-      03 Nov: Tues  11am – 12.30pm: Dan Hicok (FAA, Director, Surveillance Services)

o  US Equip 2020 – What the FAA and industry achieved together – what they learnt and what benefits they've realised.

-      04 Nov: Weds 7pm – 8pm: Andrew Andersen (IAOPA Vice President, Pacific Region)

o  Australia’s ADS-B Transition (participant’s perspective on the benefits)

-      05 Nov: Thurs 7pm – 8pm : Tom Gormley (CAA ADS-B Grant Scheme Technical Advisor)

o  New Zealand: ADS-B Best Practice for all and ADS-B Grant Scheme update and Q&A

To register your interest and receive an invite to these Microsoft Teams events email [email protected] or click HERE (https://www.emailmeform.com/builder/form/45i5WjM9cL7dJmz0n4) to register. Please do include any questions on New Zealand’s ADS-B transition that you would like to have considered for discussion.

A note from Ross Gaddes at Sailplane Services - Another ADS-B IN option

LXNav have promised to make a unit that combines the data streams for ADS-B IN and FLARM and mixes them so they can be displayed on a FLARM compatible display.

LXNav expect production before the years end.

This is good news as the other options are to upgrade to PowerFlarm types with ADS-B IN configured ($2000 or more), or to have a separate display for FLARM and ADS-B IN traffic.

Be wary of buying older TRX units on sale on web based shops as some run older old 2014 software that conflicts with the new Windows 10 meaning they won't work as they should and the $$ you thought you saved will be wasted.