The Senate Commerce Committee will vote next week on the Rotorcraft Operations Transparency and Oversight Reform Act, or ROTOR Act, following the January collision near Reagan National Airport that killed 67 people.
Sponsored by Sen. Ted Cruz and others, the bill would require newly built crewed aircraft, along with existing aircraft already operating in ADS-B Out airspace, to carry ADS-B In equipment. The bill would also increase limitations on when military and government aircraft can disable ADS-B Out.
The measure would direct the FAA to issue rules within two years mandating ADS-B In where ADS-B Out is already required, with exemptions for gliders, balloons, and aircraft lacking electrical systems such as vintage or minimal-power light sport designs.
Newly produced light sport and experimental aircraft with electrical systems would be included in the mandate if certified or registered after the rule takes effect. Under the current wording, the bill appears to leave any decision about whether a portable ADSB-In receiver would suffice up to later FAA rule making.
The bill also calls for quarterly federal reports on ADS-B use, an Army Inspector General audit of coordination with the FAA, and a study on creating a dynamic restricted area for rotorcraft over the Potomac River. Lawmakers say the proposal aims to improve visibility and separation between military and civilian operations.
The debate comes as the FAA considers proposed Part 108 rules that would allow beyond visual line of sight drone flights. Among other things, that proposal introduces the idea of allowing manned aircraft to use portable electronic conspicuity devices—low-cost transmitters that, in certain circumstances, could open the door to taking the place of ADSB-Out.
Similar conversations are underway around the world. Australia, for instance, is currently in the process of exploring its own universal ADS-B mandate.
I for one don’t think that it should have ever been a choice. Either get on board or stay home. There’s enough crashes in aviation out there, without having to factor in ones cheapskate tendencies.
Be extra vigilant Karrpilot in seeing and avoiding in the future. Anyone who publicly presents themselves as Mr. Perfect in aviation as you have just inferred with your smartass comment will be challenged by fate accordingly somewhere down the line. You’ve invited it.
I never said that I was perfect. I know of many pilots out there that don’t want to buy the adsb in portion of their transponders, because they indeed are cheap. Those very same pilots didn’t want to upgrade or update anything in their aircraft, because they wanted to keep them so-called all original and vintage.
Until I start seeing what was sold to the aviation industry, the benefits of ADS-B out, I don’t support any requirement for ADS-B in. ADS-B in does not have the same FAR mandate that TCAS has, therefore any ADS-B in depiction would be advisory only, just like TCAS TA’s. Aircraft on an IFR clearance would not have authorization or a mandate to change course or altitude based solely on an ADS-B in depiction. My next question is how any ADS-B in requirement would be enforced? Since ADS-B is a receiver, unlike ADS-B out, no FAA services are currently given based on any ADS-B in receiver. Remember not all airspace requires any ADS-B equipment at all.
The bill should include a provision that prohibits use of tracking data by third parties for the purpose of profiteering or fees via “air tolls”, which has gotten out of hand.
In my 4 seat airplane all of us will receive a runway final approach audio alert when another airplane is within 2 nautical miles or 1 minute of the runway threshold, whichever is less when I’m taxiing approaching the runway or on the runway for takeoff or an audio alert if another airplane is on the runway that i am approaching for landing plus other traffic in flight from my iPad’s ForeFlight that is bluetooth to my audio panel then to all 4 headsets for the “relatively low cost” of a portable ADS-B In, an iPad, a ForeFlight subscription & an audio panel with bluetooth!!
Was it really necessary to show that giant picture of Ted Cruz? Some of us read your emails during mealtimes.
This is another example of “this magic device is going to save us all so everybody has to get one”. It isn’t and it won’t. ADS-B is actually a mess that is sometimes useful but not always. Putting all your chips on it to prevent collisions is not smart.
This approach is just wrong and a red herring because: the military has “military operation areas” (MOAs) and should never have training exercise in class: B; C; or D airspace. ADS B is a political tool of the FAA and needs to go away because GPS covers this necessity when in service. The military needs to agree to joint use of GPS so GPS is not shut down temporarily or arbitrarily. How could Senator Cruz become so confused? Senator Cruz’s information is substantially erroneous. Talking to non pilots I presume! Senator Cruz needs to talk to pilot senators or representatives to understand the actual situation. Senator Cruz is creating an undue burden on pilots; which he should not be and would not be if fully understood what is going on! The military let is down this time and needs to be held accountable. Not pilots and their aircraft. AOPA, EAA, and GAMA need to explain this situation to Senator Cruz. His idea is dead before arrival; if he gets the actual facts. So no vote on the Senator Cruz version and get the facts to Senator Cruz as presented here! Costing small aircraft more funds for more unneeded gadgets is very unRepublican!
It sounds like you are not a pilot and don’t fully understand what ADS-B is and does.
All US registered aircraft have ADS-B OUT in order to fly in controlled airspace.
ADS-B IN simply gives the pilot a display that shows the position of other aircraft.
In the Washington National collision it would have made zero difference because the commercial aircraft on short final had a pilot flying who was focused on the runway and would not have been able to watch the runway and an ADS-B IN screen at the same time. The distraction of such a display would easily draw the attention of a pilot away from flying the plane.
The Washington National collision should never have happened since it was lunacy to be funneling helicopters closely under final approach to an airport. Forget about complaints of one controller in the tower … the failure was the helicopter, and it should never have been routed through there in the first place.
As for the cost – there are 220,000 general aviation aircraft in the USA. Assume $10,000 for a simple “IN” display. An Avidyne IFD550 GPS (which has ADS-B IN and OUT) is $25,000 plus tax and installation – you do the math, for an item which really is no more than a toy.
If this actually gets enacted then once again general aviation will end up paying for something due to an event (9/11 was the last one) general aviation had nothing to do with! Remember with all the restrictions enacted around DCA airspace has had the effect of banning all non-government general aviation airplanes from what is now the SFRA!
ADS-B is a pig in a poke. Study the history and hype, and you will find it was retaliation to failed attempts to impose user fees. So much so that you never hear about user fees anymore. It is based on the European model that sends you a bill upon controllers receiving your “I’m Airborne” signal. Now it’s being justified based on drones usage of the airspace as well, with an eventual windfall in fees. The American public will see the eventual total destruction of general aviation, it is already in motion here. As for the rest of the world, it’s already solidified. Write Ted Cruze and tell him he is falling into yet another trap rife with “unintended consequences.” That is to say, on his part. As for those bent on the destruction of the singular freedoms and liberties of this country, it is INTENDED and well under way. Kill the Bill now and revoke MANDATORY from ABS-B. The DC crash was fully caused and controlled by the FAA. They failed the system they imposed and they should be held fully investigated by real professionals not politicians, and completely responsible for the failure. No more blaming GA. No more excuses. Don’t give them another milestone accomplishment in our destruction.
I’d dare a guess and state that the “American public” gives no two turds about the continuance or demise of rich people’s toys or GA being taken away or taxed out of existence.
A whole lot of peeps have severe issues keeping food on the table and filling their gas-tanks or maintaining health-insurance for a family.
Political incompetence (standard on both sides of the isle) has consequences. General Aviation has never and will never have any meaning to the clowns in Washington.
Mandatory ADS-B IN might have helped in the DC crash situation. As I understand it, the helicopter pilot didn’t have any working equipment on board that would have detected the passenger jet and was confused about which aircraft the controller was warning them about. ADS-B IN with an audible warning enabled probably would have picked up both aircraft and given the pilots an opportunity to perform an evasive maneuver. There’s no question that the helicopter shouldn’t have been there and that helicopter flight routes shouldn’t be anywhere near passenger jet routes. I have had ADS-B OUT/IN and Foreflight on an iPad with audible warnings enabled in my airplane for quite a while. ADS-B IN isn’t perfect and sometimes I get false proximity alerts from my own airplane but it does enable me to detect nearby aircraft and direct my scan to them. Nearby light aircraft can be hard to see depending on the background. The bottom line is that a pilot needs all the help that they can get to avoid other aircraft and ADS-B is a decent technology that does that. It’s being misused by some airports to charge landing fees. TCAS is a good technology too but it’s not widespread and it’s more expensive than an ADS-B IN receiver. I think the FAA made a mistake in using ADS-B ground stations rather than satellites since a direct line-of-sight is needed between the aircraft and the ground station. That doesn’t work too well in the mountains where I live. However, ADS-B IN will detect ADS-B OUT signals emitted by nearby aircraft without a ground station. Not all aircraft are equipped with ADS-B OUT so pilots still need a good scan to see-and-avoid other aircraft, especially in proximity to an airport where air traffic density is normally higher.
They are rolling that out at this time. The same company the makes the tail beacon developed the software.