17 August 2017
Is the UK heading for compulsory use of ADS-B electronic conspicuity by light aircraft?
That’s the likely conclusion from an announcement by the CAA that “ADS-B in/out using 1090MHz is its preferred national system to improve electronic conspicuity”.
This is the statement put out by the CAA:
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) today confirmed that ADS-B ‘in/out’ using 1090 MHz is its preferred national system to improve electronic conspicuity for general aviation, ideally used through transponders.
The CAA is already working with the GA community and industry to develop an integrated electronic surveillance solution offering both airborne and ground environment benefits.
Increasing the number of aircraft with electronic conspicuity capability will have the potential to:
To help encourage ADS-B take-up by the GA community, the CAA has today launched a survey seeking information on the types of devices private pilots already use and what they would prefer to use in future.
The survey can be seen at https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/UKGAEC and closes on 29 September 2017.
The CAA has also announced that a number of trials will also be taking place to assess systems and potential uses. These include:
These trials will look to build on outputs from previous trials, and gather evidence from user feedback.
Colin Chesterton, CAA future systems coordinator, said: “We are very keen to put electronic conspicuity systems into GA aircraft cockpits as soon as possible. But it’s important we also include the users’ requirements in our decision-making.“We have a real opportunity to put in place an affordable system which will increase the safety of GA pilots and give them some really useful features, such as live weather data, and also provide controllers with the data they need to do their jobs.
“There will be much more to come during the year with the various tests taking place. All will be undertaken in close cooperation with the GA community and equipment manufacturers to make sure that we can implement the findings as quickly as possible.”
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3 comments
We have some of the most congested airspace in Europe for VFR pilots, with low Class A altitudes, VFR rat runs, and “overhead joins” pushing users into conflict zones. Anything which introduces improved situational awareness is a good thing, but only if the final offering also comes with overlaid weather (as the USA has had for years) because that is another big feature of UK GA – the fickle British weather.
I have been operating Pilotaware and receiving adsb for some time now.
It is very useful, now that PAW can also receive the OGN of gliders it has become indespesible.
Weather doesn’t bother me, I have Sky Demon and my iPad has a similar so that I receive weather updates throughout my flight whether home or overseas.
I’ve been outputting ads-b and receiving
Using Garmin pilot and a GDL-39 3D for a couple of years, it’s very useful already, if and when it’s prevalent it will be awesome, bring it on!