What do these diverse categories of aircraft—certified aircraft with integrated glass cockpits, Light Sport and Experimental aircraft, and Part 25 turbine aircraft—have in common? They’re all fairly unique when it comes to integrating ADS-B technology. In many cases, your first stop for information should be the manufacturer of the airframe, or the manufacturer of the installed avionics suite/flight management system (FMS). Read below for more.
Integrated glass cockpits
If your aircraft has an integrated flight deck, such as the Garmin G1000 or Avidyne Entegra glass cockpits, check with the manufacturer of your panel first. In most cases, they will be able to offer ADS-B solutions that integrate closely with your existing avionics—although timing of this capabillity is not always clear, and many of the solutions remain in development. For more information see “P&E: ADS-B on Glass” from the November 2015 AOPA Pilot.
Experimentals
Many of the certified ADS-B Out solutions on these pages can be used in Experimental aircraft. However, the FAA has made clear that Experimental and many Light Sport aircraft can use equipment that is compliant with the Jan. 1,2020, mandate but not TSOed. Ask the airframe manufacturer or type club for additional recommendations. Some ADS-B products have been announced exclusively for the Experimental segment, including:
Garmin GPS 20A, a rule-compliant, non-TSOed WAAS position source for Experimental aircraft
Garmin GTX 23ES, a digital Mode S transponder designed for use with Garmin’s G3X Experimental/Light Sport electronic flight display system
NavWorx ADS600-EXP, a remote-mounted, non-TSOed 978UAT universal access transceiver offering mandate-compliant ADS-B Out and ADS-B In for installation in Experimental and Light Sport aircraft
Light Sport aircraft
Many of the certified ADS-B Out solutions on these pages can be used in Light Sport aircraft, as well as the rule-compliant, non-TSOed equipment mentioned under Experimentals above. Ask the airframe manufacturer or distributor for recommendations that will best work with your installed avionics.
Part 25 turbine aircraft
Check with the manufacturer of your aircraft first. If they don’t offer an ADS-B Out solution that integrates closely with your existing flight management system, they should be able to offer some recommendations. Available units for Part 25 aircraft include: