ADSB Out - skyBeacon is now available for order

[Steve]

The one thing we keep forgetting in the exuberance over this (and other 978UAT) devices is their uselessness:

- in the flight levels
- any other country that comes to require ADS-B out, as everyone else is 1090ES.

Not forgetting. Just don't want to pay for capability I don't need. I don't take my DA40 into the flight levels, and I don't fly it to other countries. So for me, it would be an economical, easy-to-implement solution (if they stick a rear position light on it).

Steve

[Rich]

The one thing we keep forgetting in the exuberance over this (and other 978UAT) devices is their uselessness:

- in the flight levels
- any other country that comes to require ADS-B out, as everyone else is 1090ES.

Not forgetting. Just don't want to pay for capability I don't need. I don't take my DA40 into the flight levels, and I don't fly it to other countries. So for me, it would be an economical, easy-to-implement solution (if they stick a rear position light on it).

Steve

What brought this up is a discussion on a Facebook group of Northwest pilots on decisions to upgrade. There is another consideration beyond what one's current flights are like: Selling the plane 5 years down the road to someone who may have different plans. I can see the scenario now:

- Prospective buyer asks: ADS-B out?
- Answer: Yes. (Seller says no more.)
- Prospect buys plane.
- Two months later new owner wants to fly into Canada.
- New owner finds out (somehow) he's not legal.
- New owner has to ante up a transponder type solution and probably remove the UAT device.

This is totally realistic. I've seen plane purchases where the buyer didn't think to ask all the pertinent questions and got burned in various ways. Generally the ADS-B devices are something you don't have to think about, so it'd be easy to overlook.

The other oddity about the Sky Beacon is you're now required to run with nav lights on all the time. Is there a placard to this effect? Would the new owner know this?

[Steve]

Well, hopefully the seller would go over any and all unusual aspects of their particular aircraft with the new buyer (I know that I would). I wonder if uAvionics provides a POH supplement? Also, in 5 years, there are likely to be additional equipment solutions (SkyBeacon II?). Even If I do have to "upgrade" in the future, I would have the benefit of however many years of use of the cheaper solution that meets all of my needs. Not particularly bothered by running LED nav lights all the time, if they were incandescent, you would probably be replacing bulbs all the time...

For me, decision time is mid-to late-2019. If SkyBeacon is a viable solution by then (tail position light version available), I will go with that. My fallback position would be a GDL-82 with a new combo COM/GPS antenna on top. Unless something else happens (new equipment, my transponder fails, etc.).

I am not actually dependent on having ADS-B immediately in 2020, as I rarely fly in airspace that requires it. I still intend to install it, but am a little more flexible than others may be simply because of my location and mission.

Steve

[Rich]

There's a good reason to try to go ADS-B out now instead of waiting and is the main reason I did this 3-1/2 years ago. Perhaps ironically it's related to the fact most planes have not yet done so (better now than then, though). And that is being able to get TIS-B and thereby better pick up the planes with transponders turned on that lack ADS-B.

It's an interesting paradox that in the area I now live and mostly fly, ADS-B will not be a requirement. (I could easily fly 1000 miles along various routes from Northeast to South and not hit airspace that will require it) Yet it seems a majority of the traffic around here is so equipped and the majority thereof are 1090ES.

[Steve]

True, but I currently have a TPAS unit, which does provide some of the capability you get with TIS-B.

[YCCA]

So did anybody get an answer as to if this will work on DA40 or DA20?

[Rich]

I had (ok, still have, sitting in my barn gathering dust) a Zaon XRX. This was almost worthless, with all manner of false targets.

[Colin]

I had the Zaon. Even paid to have it rebuilt at one point. It didn't have false targets at first, but once they developed it just didn't seem to be something that could be fixed or filtered out. I remember crossing a MOA with a target a half mile behind me the whole time. I even did a 360 to confirm that there was nothing there. (If there was, it stayed on my six for the rotation.) Useless. I trashed it.

[Steve]

I have the MRX. As far as I know, I've had false targets only twice - both times in high speed descents. Couple of hundred feet above me with no change in range. Gone when I leveled off. Obviously, it doesn't spot all the traffic, but acts as a good reminder to pick up my visual scan.

Steve

[Rich]

My Zaon would pick up stuff on the surface - on city streets. And miss traffic right in front of me. They're out of business now.