Another step forward has been announced today in reducing the cost to GA of implementing ADS-B.
FASVIG support the voluntary adoption of ADS-B by GA. ADS-B offers great potential for improved traffic situational awareness and flight safety. We want to make installing ADS-B as quick, simple and low cost as possible to ensure that adopting ADS-B is an obvious and easy decision for GA pilots. FASVIG has been working closely with NATS, CAA, BGA, BMAA, LAA, AOPA, transponder manufacturers and the GA community to advance this cause, and especially the acceptance of non-certified GPS as the position source for ADS-B.
NATS has now released the report on the successful trial they conducted with GA pilots in 2015 of the performance of Mode S ES ADS-B configured with a non-certified GPS position source and from 18th March 2016 the BMAA and LAA members will be able to apply for ADS-B Avionics MOD Approval supported by verification data of the ADS-B configuration captured via a PiotAware device.
Earlier in 2015 it was difficult for BMAA/LAA pilots to know whether their non-certified GPS Mode S ES ADS-B configuration was correct. The only available verification mechanism required a test flight in southern England and an exchange of emails with NATS R&D to check the data that NATS had captured. This was costly and especially problematic for those living well outside the area. So, back in November 2015 FASVIG approached PilotAware asking if they could enable their software to capture and present the same ADS-B Operational Status Message data. PilotAware responded very positively and two weeks later a working prototype software solution was available. This has now been developed into the solution BMAA and LAA will accept as the verification mechanism in their updated ADS-B Avionics MOD Approval process.
NATS have today published a blog, a press release and the trial report.
http://www.nats.aero/news/successful-gps-trial/
http://nats.aero/blog/2016/03/helping-general-aviation-to-see-and-be-seen-in-our-busy-airspace/
http://nats.aero/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/GA-ADS-B-GPS-Trial-report.pdf
And the BMAA and LAA have both made announcements about their updated ADS-B Avionics MOD Approval procedures.
http://www.bmaa.org/news_item.php?wnID=10591
http://www.lightaircraftassociation.co.uk/2016/News/adsb.pdf