Formation and ADS-B Out

[Full Throttle]

Anyone know who actually monitors ADS-B for compliance? Anyone been busted for non-compliance since the 2020 mandate?

[OKAV8r]

FAA Flight Standards has a computer that monitors all ADS-B out transmissions within the coverage areas. If one is sending data that is out of tolerance, it will flag, and multiple fails will result in a letter to th aircraft owner

[jliltd]

Originally Posted by Full Throttle

Anyone know who actually monitors ADS-B for compliance? Anyone been busted for non-compliance since the 2020 mandate?

An FAA "red light" computer in Washington DC (not OKC). I know 4 aircraft owners who got nastygrams from said computer last year. I helped draft a response for one I did the installation on. It was a brand new dual G5 system and the #1 G5 was used as the digital encoder for the transponder/ADS-B system and the G5's internal air data computer went haywire within 10 hours resulting in the ADS-B altitude transmission to swing from 300 ft MSL to 14,000 ft MSL within two seconds and then all points in between. The airplane was taking off and departing an uncontrolled field in the LA basin and lit up ATC panels like a Christmas tree.

I attended the Air Boss briefing at Oshkosh and they told the performers that if their aircraft was equipped with ADS-B it had to be on during their performance from engine start on. Air Boss agreed it was ridiculous, especially in Waivered Airspace but nobody knew how to explain all that to the robocop enforcement computer in DC. As we waited our turn with the engine idling I could watch the preceeding performer on my aera 660 as he did an acro routine.

That crazy computer is the same reason why the AirVenture NOTAM approach proceedure instructs ADS-B equipped aircraft to never squawk standby, much to the chagrin of Center and local ATC facilities.

Jim

[skylor]

Originally Posted by PCHunt

ATC has treated formation flights as a single entity for many years. Long before ADS-B, only the lead would squawk. Or in the case of longer in-trail "formations" (usually large aircraft), the lead and the last aircraft might squawk.

When a formation flight taxies out, the entire flight is cleared to taxi as one entity.

When a formation flight is cleared for takeoff, the entire formation is cleared, as if one entity. Example: A 60-ship flight of T-6 aircraft was cleared for takeoff at Oshkosh years ago. One transmission, one "entity" for ATC.

When you arrive at an airport as a flight of four, you are cleared to land as a flight, and the normal runway separation standards don't apply.

So it would seem logical that when in formation, ATC would like to treat you as a single entity. I can't imagine that they really want aircraft in close proximity squawking and "ADSB-ing". Surely it will trigger collision warnings in their system.

A little common sense goes a long way to interpreting the rules. No matter how many times rules are written and re-written, if you are pedantic enough, you can find some conflict in the rule.

Flame suit on...........

While I agree with you in principle, that is clearly not what the FAA wrote in AC 90-114B:

For visual flight rules (VFR) formation flights not receiving ATC services, ATC directs that only the lead aircraft should squawk the assigned beacon code(1200). All other aircraft should disable transponder and ADS-B transmissions once established within the formation.

They could have simply stated "For formation flights ATC directs that only the lead aircraft should squawk the assigned or VFR beacon code. All other aircraft should disable transponder and ADS-B transmissions once established within the formation." But they didn't state it this way which leads me to believe that the rule makers don't want wingmen to "strangle the parrot" in the other situations.

Skylor

[Full Throttle]

Right now it seems that the FAA has shut down the page where AC 90-114B can be found. At least for my computer.

[skylor]

Originally Posted by Full Throttle

Right now it seems that the FAA has shut down the page where AC 90-114B can be found. At least for my computer.

It's still there. The .pdf can be accessed from this page:

I checked the link on the page and it works as well.

Skylor

[OKAV8r]

One other thing...
Once the FAA computer decides your ADS-B is "non-compliant", it is considered to be unworthy until you report evidence that your ADS-B out has been repaired.
Last time I looked at the FAA data, about 8% of ADS-B out systems had a non-compliant event.