Business View Magazine | October 2019

16 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2019 AT A GLANCE THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION WHAT: A federal agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation WHERE: Washington, D.C. WEBSITE: www.faa.gov In 2010, the FAA mandated that by the year 2020, all commercial aircraft and aircraft flying in Class A, B & C airspace are required to be equipped with transponders having ADS-B Out capability. ADS-B is a system in which electronic equipment onboard an aircraft automatically broadcasts the precise location of the aircraft using a transponder on the aircraft. The data can be used by other aircraft and air traffic control to show the aircraft’s position and altitude on display screens without the need for radar. Recently, Business View Magazine contacted the FAA to find out more about the ADS-B mandate. The following is an edited transcript of that communication. BVM: What is the purpose for the ADS-B mandate and what was the catalyst that necessitated the change? FAA: “As the demand for our nation’s airspace grows, NextGen improvements are helping to guide and track aircraft more precisely on more direct routes. The Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) is a key NextGen enabling technology that leverages the accuracy and reliability of the GPS satellite system to track aircraft in real time, and to provide a new level of situation awareness. As more aircraft are equipped, ADS-B increases safety and efficiency that will help meet the predicted increase in air traffic in coming years.”