ADS-B Mandate Paves Way for Better Operations

Things are changing at Mach 2. Today’s aircraft are modern marvels, equipped with advanced technologies that make flying safer, more efficient and more automated. But they’re flying in controlled airspace that still relies largely on 1960s technologies, regulations and procedures.

Today an aircraft’s movement is closely coordinated by a series of air traffic controllers who follow the flight from departure to arrival and during every point in between. Ground radar technology used to monitor aircraft was installed close to 50 years ago, requiring separation procedures from the same era.

There has to be a better way. Air traffic management authorities around the world – including the FAA in the U.S. and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency – are creating new airspace management systems that promise to further enhance the safety, efficiency and predictability of flight for everyone who uses the airspace.

Implementation of initiatives like NextGen and Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) will create the opportunity for both civilian and military operators to select and fly routes that reduce time, fuel and emissions, while maintaining the solid safety record of controlled airspace.

But to make that happen, operators will need to equip their aircraft with technologies like Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) Out, a tool that will allow air traffic control to surveil aircraft with improved frequency (once-per-second updates) and accuracy with GPS.

By Jan. 1, 2020, in the U.S. and July 6, 2020, in Europe, aircraft will be required to use the ADS-B technology to transmit their position.

At Honeywell we’re focused on making mandate compliance easier for our customers. We’re dedicated to understanding the requirements of current mandates, across the full spectrum of our product line, and to anticipating and preparing for future mandates that will impact our customers.

Right now, we’re working with a broad range of operators to help them meet the ADS-B mandate deadlines. We view the mandate not as a simply a “compliance issue,” but as another step toward better use of the airspace and better operational performance for its users.

In the U.S., the FAA estimates that more than 40,000 business and general aviation aircraft and about one-fourth of the airline fleet has already installed an ADS-B Out solution. That means that many operators are behind the curve when it comes to making installation plans. Our advice is that operators take action now to avoid the last-minute scramble that will almost certainly impact installation cost, wait time and potentially restrict airspace.

Honeywell and our extensive network of authorized channel partners are here to help. Contact us and we’ll put you in touch with one of our ADS-B experts so you can get the ball rolling right away in effort to meet the mandate requirements.