Andre wrote:
The FAA had 10 million dollars budgeted towards the ADS-B rebate program to entice airplane owners with $500 ea. to install ADS-B equipment before the 2020 deadline, as detailed in this link: https://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/FAA-ADS-B-Rebate-Window-Closing-229613-1.html
They ended up only using $5.1 million, or half their budget, as many just decided to wait until the technology got cheaper, even if it meant installing after the rebate deadline: https://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/FAA-ADS-B-Rebate-Window-Closing-229613-1.html
Where did the other $5 million go? That could have become a great training fund. Also, what kind of management circle comes up with the concept of making the vast majority of aircraft owners add new technology to their planes without planning for any type of education on how to use it? Even the FCC/Federal Communications Commission initiated a nation-wide consumer education program when this country switched from analog to the digital television standard in 2009. If the FAA wants this new system to become a success, they need to do more than just require aircraft owners to install the mandated equipment.
Andre'
Well, you hit on a lot of the points I made when this was announced...the approach taken by the agency was sub-optimal from the start, and thus, the fleet is vastly unprepared for 2020...I do not want to re-visit all the reasons I am a detractor from this part of the NEXTGEN as implemented, but this was a case of ready, fire, aim from the start.
Andre' -- we will have to "learn as we go" on this one and "pull" the information out of various places in fits and starts as individual owners and operators. I regularly run into pilots, aircraft owners and FBO managers who are still somewhat confused by this new tax on our airspace system and how it will affect them personally and financially. At the end of the day, it will be an individual responsibility to know the rules, technology and where/how ADSB will be used. The onus is now on us, regardless of what happened over the last five years...
The FAA legislates the rules, but the industry develops the technology...and the aircraft owners finance the hardware! Regrettably, they were not all synchronized from the start resulting in confusion and widespread non-compliance. Even the US Deptartment of Defense and over 10,000 of thier aircraft are currently not compliant. (will be interesting to see if they make the deadline, as money for improvements is usually programmed 5-7 years in advance) The numbers the FAA hoped would comply are now FAR BELOW what thier own estimates and assumptions were at the start. This is why so many refunds were NOT provided - people stayed away in droves.
As an alternative, the FAA could have awarded the entire $10M to the firm who developed the first $500 complete system where MANY MORE would be compliant faster and for less expense...many other approaches could have been examined and explored to help the ENTIRE FLEET vs. individual early adapters.
No doubt the agency will implement in 2020 as they promised -- and I am sure will have to see a few examples of folks who get violated or cited for non-compliance and airspace violations...sad to say.
Where I live and fly, this is a BIG deal, so I have to pay attention to all the latest news and developments on ADSB...for others who live in areas not affected, this is just another govenment program that does not apply to them, thus the seeming lack of urgency from the pilot community as a whole.
Mike N714AJ