Heres one for all you freight dogs. My company is in charge of implementing the "next gen" atc (ADS-B) and we are supposed to get it in our hawker and GV for testing reasons. How do you guys like it using it on the line. How about some pros and cons that I should keep in mind. Once it is finally completed it should be a great system but it is far from done. Thanks

DSF

 

Ok,,I'll play along. The current system is broke,,how will this fix it,?? How will a pilot know he's using the adds-b system.?? I am available for consulting work,,reasonable rates.

 

I've used ADSB onboard two different types of aircraft (all GA) as well as participated in two NASA/MITRE company studies on various operating topics related to the system.

Overall, ADSB is a very capable system. The amount of traffic and advisory data that is available from a flight crew standpoint is incredible. How does a pilot know he's using ADSB? Simple- there's a wealth of information available if the system is fully implemented. Everything from selectable traffic targets (which then displays aircraft callsign, type, altitude, position, speed, direction of flight, slant range distance from your own aircraft, and closure rate/time)

There are several downsides to the ADSB implementation. First off, it's expensive from a user standpoint. In addition to having to purchase an ADSB transponder, to fully be able to participate in ADSB, many aircraft will have to purchase expensive display units that integrate into cockpits using air data information. Obviously from a user cost standpoint, this is much more costly to aircraft owners than traditional Mode-C or Mode-S transponder (tens of thousands of dollars in some cases).

The second issue comes with the implementation of ADSB on a national airspace level. Since ADSB is being developed with the end goal of radar replacement, it will require 100% participation. From a security standpoint, several issues need to be addressed. If ADSB ground stations eventual replace primary and secondary surveillance radar sites in the US, there will be no way of tracking "nordo" aircraft as there is now. Considerations to backup systems (including radar painting of non-participating/threat aircraft) need to be addressed before a fully scale implementation is accomplished.

 

Participated in one of the trials several years ago at ILN. The information was impressive, but like Josh points out, it's expensive and I wonder how many managements will buy into it.