Matt Thurber, editor-in-chief at AIN Media Group, has been flying since 1975 and writing about aviation since 1978 and now has the best job in the world, running editorial operations for Aviation International News, Business Jet Traveler, and FutureFlight.aero. In addition to working as an A&amp;P mechanic on everything from Piper Cubs to turboprops, Matt taught flying at his father’s flight school in Plymouth, Mass., in the early 1980s, flew for an aircraft owner/pilot, and for two summer seasons hunted swordfish near the George’s Banks off the East Coast from a Piper Super Cub. An ATP certificated fixed-wing pilot and CFII and commercial helicopter pilot, Matt is type-rated in the Citation 500 and Gulfstream V/550. Based in the Pacific Northwest, Matt and his team cover the entire aviation scene including business aircraft, helicopters, avionics, safety, manufacturing, charter, fractionals, technology, air transport, advanced air mobility, defense, and other subjects of interest to AIN, BJT, and FutureFlight readers.

Editor-in-Chief

Matt Thurber

After the stroke of midnight on Dec. 31, 2019, all aircraft that fly in U.S. airspace anywhere transponders are required must carry equipment that meets the FAA’s automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B OUT) standard. The ADS-B OUT mandate is part not only of the FAA’s but many other countries’ plans to replace inaccurate and expensive radar surveillance systems with highly accurate, GPS-based ADS-B, which reports aircraft position, velocity and identification information to air traffic controllers and other aircraft.

 


The European mandate kicks in June 8, 2016, for new aircraft and June 7, 2020, for retrofit installations. Other countries, notably in Asia, have already begun implementing ADS-B OUT requirements for aircraft flying on certain routes and at certain altitudes, so business jets traveling in those areas need ADS-B equipment sooner rather than later.

 


L-3 Avionics Products is highlighting its ADS-B equipment at Booth 3016, including the ACSS NXT-800 and NXT-600 ADS-B OUT transponders. Both are compliant with the applicable RTCA DO-181E standards, which apply in the U.S. and Europe. This year, L-3 also introduced its new Lynx ADS-B OUT products for piston aircraft, turboprops and light jets. Installation of the Lynx will be easier because it includes an ADS-B rule-compliantGPSposition source in a single box. The Lynx will also use existing antennas and wiring, further simplifying theinstallation.

 


FAA officials are worried that the pace of retrofit ADS-B installations is lagging and that there will be a massive traffic jam at installation centers as the deadlines approach. “We encourage business jet operators to get their upgrades in place for ADS-B OUT,” said Shane LaPlante, vice president of aftermarket sales for ACSS and L-3 Aviation Products, “because they’ll need to take the aircraft out of service for installation. In most cases, the upgraded mode-S transponder installations require new wiring between the GPS sensor and the transponder for retrofit aircraft.”

L-3 Ready for Fast-approaching ADS-B Deadline

The coming deadline for ADS-B equipage means that aircraft operators need to think about upgrades.

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