ADS-B for Experimental Aircraft—Meeting the Mandate for E-AB

July 9, 2015 - The year 2020 is now clearly visible on the horizon, and many EAA members are faced with the need to install ADS-B out equipment over the next five years. In addition to breaking down barriers to lower cost options that satisfy the mandate, EAA is working to ensure the basic principles of experimental avionics and its lack of TSO requirements are held sacrosanct. Our community’s freedom to innovate is paramount to EAA’s mission.

Earlier this year, EAA worked with the FAA to make a change to the ADS-B regulations which clarified that all experimental aircraft can be equipped with non-TSO’d ADS-B out equipment as long as that equipment meets the performance requirements of the rules (FARs 91.225 and 91.227). That is very much in line with previous applications of IFR equipment and transponders for experimental aircraft. The key issue is performance of the equipment within the air traffic system, not meeting a design specification or production requirement.

EAA will continue to work with the FAA to ensure that all ADS-B requirements follow that logic and philosophy. We will work to ensure any additional certification requirements that are not performance-based do not become mandatory for experimental aircraft.