Interesting article on ADS-B's future???

[peevee]

Had a guy on the last flight in a canard pass 500 feet below me despite multiple calls from approach pointing him out. Didn't see him until directly under us. I don't have great eyes but I can pass without glasses....

[Skates97]

5 minutes ago, peevee said:

Had a guy on the last flight in a canard pass 500 feet below me despite multiple calls from approach pointing him out. Didn't see him until directly under us. I don't have great eyes but I can pass without glasses....

I can still read the bottom line of the distance chart without glasses, although my almost 45 yo eyes need reading glasses. However, even with good eyesight I would say at least once or twice on most flights there is a target on my tablet or that ATC has called out that I never see or like you mentioned only see right as I'm passing it. I'm in the "wait and see" category on installing ADS-B out to see if it gets pushed off or if some of these newer, less expensive options get certified. However for the $120 or so it cost me to build my own Stratux I am glad to have the extra info on my tablet. 

[peevee]

You really do see more traffic in if you're adsb out.

[steingar]

I suspect folks had the same gripes when the Mode C transponders were instituted.  I'll bet they ere more expensive then the the ADS-B transponders are now, as well.  I bet the early adopters touted a safety benefit, since now they could be easily spotted by radar controllers and separated from other aircraft.  I doubt that there is much of a safety benefit, mid air collisions are actually vanishingly rare (you could count the annual number on fingers of one hand).  But you do get weather with the ADS-B signal, which is an invaluable tool and is way more than you got with the mode-C.  A pity you can get the same thing from an inexpensive portable device, but at least you get it.

[Oldguy]

Probably safer but more nerve-wracking. When I am coming home from Florida between NITTS and CTY on V521 in hard IMC, do I really want to know there is an oncoming plane 1000' below me? He is where he should be as am I, so nothing from ATC. ForeFlight, on the other hand, lights up and is not happy.

[Marauder]

17 hours ago, Oldguy said:

Probably safer but more nerve-wracking. When I am coming home from Florida between NITTS and CTY on V521 in hard IMC, do I really want to know there is an oncoming plane 1000' below me? He is where he should be as am I, so nothing from ATC. ForeFlight, on the other hand, lights up and is not happy.

 

That was one of my concerns with the L-3 ATAS feature (voice call outs of traffic conflicts). The very first flight I took from the avionics shop I had it go off as I was turning crosswind on departure. Of course, I conclude that it is going to be a nuisance gizmo. In reality it was calling out real traffic from a guy entering the traffic pattern from an extended downwind and not announcing his position.

So fast forward a few weeks. I'm flying my plane and I hear this unrecognizable sound coming from inside the plane. It would periodically start and stop. A couple of flights later I get this endless "traffic, traffic, traffic" call in my headset. Now I'm thinking the ATAS isn't working properly and I can't find the "shut up" button on the L-3 9000.

Then the pieces of the puzzle fell into place. I have 3 Apple devices. An iPhone, iPad mini and an iPad 4. All of them have Fltpln Go installed on them.

What I figured out was the "traffic, traffic, traffic" calls were coming from my iPhone which is connected to the headsets through the PSE 450a. Even though I didn't have Fltpln Go open, it was running in the background. My iPhone connected to the L-3 9000 and was getting TIS-B because it connected itself to the WiFi of the 9000. The nuisance part was the fact it was calling out all traffic within 2 miles of me regardless if it was a conflict.

So what was that unrecognizable sound? Well it was my iPad 4 that was not connected to the PSE 450a but had connected to the 9000 and was screaming out "traffic, traffic, traffic" from inside my flight bag.

A pilot gotta know his technology limitations. The L-3 ATAS works as advertised. When she calls out "traffic, one o'clock, one mile, same altitude", you better pay attention and start looking.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Oldguy]

14 hours ago, Marauder said:

 

Then the pieces of the puzzle fell into place. I have 3 Apple devices.....

 

Glad I am not the only one. iPad Air, mini iPad Retina, and iPhone 7 all running FF. Gets yappy sometimes in the cockpit.

[gsxrpilot]

I'm happy with ADSB as a requirement. Once upon a time seatbelt, airbags, and antilock brakes were only for luxury cars. But as the roads have gotten much more crowded and speeds have gotten much higher, it's good that they are ubiquitous. The skies are getting more crowded and ADSB will certainly help. The cost is unfortunate, but to be expected. Progress isn't usually free.

Along with Don, I don't expect you'll get much sympathy for the affordability as you do have two airplanes. Two cars is common especially with multiple DL holding family members. One airplane is already rarified air, two is awesome, but certainly puts you out of reach of any sympathy for the cost of anything from this crowd.

[steingar]

Yeah, the new forelight causes my iPad to say things that I can barely hear.  My biggest worry about all this is while all the warnings are new you'll pay lots of attention, but as time wears on and seeing lots of little blips becomes routine you might pay a little less.  Then again, more information is better than less.

Of course the other bad thing is for the foreseeable future there will be aircraft sans ADS-B, and there will also be antiques flying around that will never have it.  They won't show up on your screens.  Thus unconsciously thinking that your device is seeing everything might cause a relaxation of your scan out the window where the non ADS-B traffic is.

[Marauder]

Yeah, the new forelight causes my iPad to say things that I can barely hear.  My biggest worry about all this is while all the warnings are new you'll pay lots of attention, but as time wears on and seeing lots of little blips becomes routine you might pay a little less.  Then again, more information is better than less.

Of course the other bad thing is for the foreseeable future there will be aircraft sans ADS-B, and there will also be antiques flying around that will never have it.  They won't show up on your screens.  Thus unconsciously thinking that your device is seeing everything might cause a relaxation of your scan out the window where the non ADS-B traffic is.

 

 

Not sure if you have a way to connect your iPad through Bluetooth, but if you can, I think the warning and information ForeFlight is providing is some good stuff. Garmin Pilot only has terrain and traffic alerts.

 

I agree with your assessment about what traffic we will actually see. Even in the northeast, I know of a number of pilots who clearly won't be upgrading to ADS-B because they intend to stay out of the mandate areas (we'll see how that works out).

 

The solution I purchased is an active traffic version. I bought it for a couple of reasons. The first being that below radar & ADS-B coverage, you will only see other "out" airplanes. All those mode C guys now and after the mandate date will be invisible unless they are (and if) in radar coverage. Active traffic at least gives some additional coverage before and after the mandate date. The second reason is even if ADS-B is killed, I doubt mode C will go away.

 

I agree that the non-electrical equipped planes will still be a concern. My home airport, which is under a Mode C veil, has a large contingent of Piper Cubs and Aeronca Champs as well as an active Glider operation. At least most of them are at least carrying a handheld radio.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro