NATA Analyzes ADS-B Reg

The National Air Transportation Association issued its preliminary analysis of the new FAA requirement for ADS-B, saying it supports transition to satellite-based navigation and ADS-B. However, it criticized the FAA for issuing the proposed rule without consultation with industry, adding the rule raised several technical questions that could have been resolved. It also expressed deep concern over the financial impact of the requirement, especially since the FAA released its proposed rulemaking without addressing the costs, benefits and other issues with industry.
By 2020, FAA would require ADS-B Out performance and mandate the installation of ADS-B equipment on all aircraft flying in controlled airspace. Similar to transponder requirements, it said, aircraft would need ADS-B to fly above 10,000 feet msl or within Class B or C terminal airspace. Related Story
The FAA claims ADS-B will be 10 times more accurate than the current radar-based system, allowing controllers to reduce separation standards between aircraft and increase the number of aircraft that can be safely managed, said NATA, adding the agency is citing the exponential growth of the commercial aviation industry, expected to double by 2025, as justification.
The FAA would require aircraft flying at or above Flight Level 240 (FL240) to have ADS–B Out performance capabilities using the 1090 Extended Squitter (1090ES) broadcast link. Aircraft flying in the designated airspace below FL240 would have to use either the 1090ES or Universal Access Transceiver (UAT) broadcast link.
The system enables equipped aircraft to broadcast information, such as identification, current position, altitude, and velocity, continually. ADS-B uses information from a position service, e.g. Global Positioning System (GPS), to broadcast the aircraft's location, thereby making this information more timely and accurate than the information provided by the conventional radar system. ADS-B also can provide the platform for aircraft to receive various types of information, including ADS-B transmissions from other equipped aircraft or vehicles. ADS-B is automatic because no external interrogation is required, but is "dependent" because it relies on onboard position sources and onboard broadcast transmission systems to provide surveillance information to ATC and ultimately to other users.
The association noted that ADS-B will be required for all operations in:
• Class A, B, and C airspace areas
• Class E airspace areas at or above 10,000 feet mean sea level (MSL) over the 48 contiguous United States and the District of Columbia.
• The airspace out to 30 nautical miles (NM), from the surface up to 10,000 MSL, around certain identified airports that are among the nation’s busiest (Mode C transponder veil areas)
• Class E airspace over the Gulf of Mexico from the coastline of the United States out to 12 nautical miles, at and above 3,000 feet MSL.