ADS-B Out considered safety improvement

[JimNtexas]

I flew an ADS-B out equipped airplane, an Archer with a Freeflight Ranger, for the first time today. I really, really liked it!

Today there was a ~2500 foot overcast, which squished all the VFR traffic below that.

Leaving Austin Bergstrom I selected the traffic display on our Garmin 430W. I quickly noticed there was a co-altitude airplane at about 10 o'clock and about four miles. I started climbing up when departure control pointed it out. Using the traffic display I was able to maneuver around the unknown rider. We didn't see him until he had just crossed our nose.

Had this happened in a no radar/no ads-b situation there would have been very close call!

Several other airplanes passed close to us that I probably would not have noticed just with my non-TSO'd eyeballs.

I was using a Stratus 1, and targets showed on an iPad mini but not on my iPhone 6. I'm going email Foreflight support about that. I kept the 430W traffic display showing most of the time because that's in my scan, but my iPad is not.

I didn't have a chance to use the Freeflight iOS apps, I'll try them next time. The Ranger has a wifi access point that transmit ADS-B information in a manner similar to that of a Stratus.

The Ranger has a tiny control panel that you can pretty much ignore, but if you get a new N-number you can set it using this panel, you don't need an avionics tech to change your ADS-B identification string.

I think our ADS-B install was worth every penny of the ~$5k that it cost.

 

[iflyvfr]

In the past 2 weeks I got a GLD-39 and hooked it to my Garmin Aera and a Samsung tablet running Garmin Pilot. Last weekend I was departing an airport and on both devices I could see traffic behind and below me and climbing. I could also see it was not going to be a factor as it vectored away from me. I thought, "wow that is so cool."

The situational awareness improvement was eye opening, similar to what having XM weather in the plane did for me. This is, until I realized there's not a whole lot of "out" going on just yet, including me. I'm still getting used to the new functionality and found myself spending some serious heads-down time playing with stuff...not a good thing!

I know this won't be popular, but the thought entered my cranium that everyone needs to get on board with this because until they do, there will always be "NORDO" traffic out there that won't show up. On the other hand, seeing N numbers sort of creeped me out!

 

[Hank S]

Even when "everyone is aboard," there will still be planes without radios or transponders. Some planes have no electrical system--Cubs, Champs, gliders, some experimentals, powered parachutes . . .

I used to be based with a Cub, two Champs and two powered parachutes. Ever seen a column of gliders banking in a thermal as you go by?

 

[SbestCFII]

You'll get a more complete traffic picture once your aircraft has ADS-B out.

 

[Bob Noel]

um... ya'll mean "ADS-B IN"

 

[Checkout_my_Six]

So..... how's your see and avoid work'n now?

 

[Chip Sylverne]

um... ya'll mean "ADS-B IN"

You really need both.

 

[steingar]

Midair collisions are a minority killer of pilots. As far as I know the big ones are still wx and running out of gas. ABSB-out does nothing to keep you out of bad wx. ADS-B in might, but the FAA isn't mandating that for anyone.

 

[James331]

Midair collisions are a minority killer of pilots. As far as I know the big ones are still wx and running out of gas. ABSB-out does nothing to keep you out of bad wx. ADS-B in might, but the FAA isn't mandating that for anyone.

Yeah, it can also put you into bad situations, don't go tryin to dodge cells based on XM, it can and does lag.

 

[Checkout_my_Six]

Midair collisions are a minority killer of pilots. As far as I know the big ones are still wx and running out of gas. ABSB-out does nothing to keep you out of bad wx. ADS-B in might, but the FAA isn't mandating that for anyone.

ya but..... in the last few years there are at least (5) fatally affected folks, in two separate Midairs, locally that were affected by that.

 

[JimNtexas]

Even when "everyone is aboard," there will still be planes without radios or transponders. Some planes have no electrical system--Cubs, Champs, gliders, some experimentals, powered parachutes . . .

I used to be based with a Cub, two Champs and two powered parachutes. Ever seen a column of gliders banking in a thermal as you go by?

Wait! You mean ADS-B doesn't create an impenetrable force shield around the airplane!!?????!!!!!!! I guess I'd better demand a refund!!!!!!

 

[rbridges]

I like having the "out" since installing my new transponder. It gives a more complete picture. It seems like I see more traffic on my ipad vs. when I was a "leecher".

I had a beech call me on unicom when leaving an uncontrolled airport. He was practicing an RNAV and I was directly in his flight path. We had all that squared away well before we would have made visual. We probably would have dealt with it with our radio calls but the ADSB gave us a more specific picture. Just a nice tool to have.

 

[steingar]

ya but..... in the last few years there are at least (5) fatally affected folks, in two separate Midairs, locally that were affected by that.

A lot more perished for other reasons. I guess the title is correct, ADSB does make one safer by a pathetically small increment that does nothing to justify the cost of the equipment installation. For that kind of money I could get a LOT of currency which would make me even safer. Safer still I'd be a good sized way toward an instrument rating.

 

[Checkout_my_Six]

A lot more perished for other reasons. I guess the title is correct, ADSB does make one safer by a pathetically small increment that does nothing to justify the cost of the equipment installation. For that kind of money I could get a LOT of currency which would make me even safer. Safer still I'd be a good sized way toward an instrument rating.

Full disclosure....both of those Midair accidents were being worked with ATC with everyone involved on mode-C. One with a class D tower (SR-22 mows over a R-44) and the other thru flight following on Potomac Approach freq (Bonanza gets chopped in half by a Cherokee).

 

[petrolero]

Midair collisions are a minority killer of pilots. As far as I know the big ones are still wx and running out of gas. ABSB-out does nothing to keep you out of bad wx. ADS-B in might, but the FAA isn't mandating that for anyone.

Weather kills far more as you mentioned. ADS-B "in" wouldn't exist at all in the absence of the mandate for ADS-B "out".

FIS-B and TIS-B were sops to GA because we griped mightily when they were planning this. Without 987-UAT the ADS-B mandate would have done nothing for GA that we didn't already have with radar-based system.

I think the addition of 'free' in-flight weather and traffic is worth the cost of one "out" box and a portable "in" receiver. The traffic info may not save the world, but it is very helpful. The weather though - that is really valuable.

I do think the dual system sucks though. Aircraft that fly high are required to have 1090ES and either have to pay more to install an extra box to receive the goodies on their MFD - or just leave it all on the iPad which isn't in the panel and provides no aural warnings.