Tail Beacon Operational Flight Evaluation

rundogdave

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Dave
I recently took possession of a plane that had not been used for 5 years. Had a uAvionox tailBeacon installed to comply with the ADS-B mandate. Performed a flight this afternoon according to the requirements on the uAvionix web site regarding the operational flight evaluation. Submitted a performance request on the FAA web site, but the request failed to generate a result. I got flight following for both directions of the flight, flying over the KSMF class C air space. Would ATC have let me fly over the charlie if the ADS-B was not working?
 
Check your spam filter.
Submit another request. I've submitted about 10 requests and never failed to get a result.
 
I recently took possession of a plane that had not been used for 5 years. Had a uAvionox tailBeacon installed to comply with the ADS-B mandate. Performed a flight this afternoon according to the requirements on the uAvionix web site regarding the operational flight evaluation. Submitted a performance request on the FAA web site, but the request failed to generate a result. I got flight following for both directions of the flight, flying over the KSMF class C air space. Would ATC have let me fly over the charlie if the ADS-B was not working?
Were you on a unique squawk? If it's transmitting in anonymous mode the test won't work.
 
Check your spam filter.
Submit another request. I've submitted about 10 requests and never failed to get a result.
I should have said the email I received from the FAA said the request didn't generate a result. I received a response from the FAA, it just appears that my evaluation flight didn't generate a result.
 
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Were you on a unique squawk? If it's transmitting in anonymous mode the test won't work.
Yes, had a unique squad code. I had flight following. I guess what I need to know is, should I be concerned about a negative result from the evaluation flight? If the ADS-B signal was not working, would ATC have let me fly over the charlie air space?
 
If the ADS-B signal was not working, would ATC have let me fly over the charlie air space?

One of the controllers would need to address that question but if you are over, but not in, their airspace and the transponder is giving them your position with a squawk then they may not have seen that it wasn't ADSB generated. I remember a post on here from one controller that stated, "we are not the ADSB police." Had you been in the class C it may have made a difference.
 
Check. Going up again later this week. I guess the easiest way to see if they are receiving an ADS-B signal is to simply ask!
 
Do you own a Stratus, Sentry or some other ADS-B in device ? Your UAT position should show on the screen along with your speed, altitude, n number..if your tailbeacon is working. I always test ADS-B out installs before PAPR flights.
 
Don't have an ADS-B in device. All ground testing was done, according to the mechanic that installed the unit. Never thought about asking another pilot that has ADS-B in to see if the signal is visible. Great idea! Thanks.
 
What time did you fly? The PAPR report is based on UTC, so if you flew later in the afternoon and are on the west coast it’s easy to be the next day on UTC and then get a no result if you punch in the date based on local time.
 
Would ATC have let me fly over the charlie if the ADS-B was not working?

No, from what I've heard most controllers choose not to display ADS-B data and they are not required to. Therefore it is unlikely they would notice whether it's working or not.
 
What time did you fly? The PAPR report is based on UTC, so if you flew later in the afternoon and are on the west coast it’s easy to be the next day on UTC and then get a no result if you punch in the date based on local time.
I believe I accounted for that. I'm in California, so I added 8 hours, which put me in to the following day since I was flying at 1700 local time.
 
Do you own a Stratus, Sentry or some other ADS-B in device ? Your UAT position should show on the screen along with your speed, altitude, n number..if your tailbeacon is working. I always test ADS-B out installs before PAPR flights.
I recently purchased a Sentry to go along with my ForeFlight Mobile and plan to get a UAvionics tail beacon to comply w/AdsB-in/out requirements. Are there any older model Viking pilots on this forum who also use tail beacon?
 
No, from what I've heard most controllers choose not to display ADS-B data and they are not required to. Therefore it is unlikely they would notice whether it's working or not.
I've heard of controllers using the ADS-B readout to ask if a pilot is on frequency, and it happened to me recently when I was overflying the SFO bravo.
 
You should get an email regardless of if it picked up the ADS-B or not. It should be there somewhere.
 
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