Greetings,
Another month of glorious flying weather has passed us by. The holidays are behind us, a new year is in front of us with clear blue skies above us. We’ve featured several articles recently about the importance of getting ADS-B Out installed. Nearly every alphabet group related to aviation has been beating the same drum. Lead time to get equipment installed is several months at nearly every shop in the nation, and these shops do not have capacity to outfit the remaining fleet by the January 1, 2020 deadline. While I previously focused on getting it installed to remain compliant and prevent grounding, this time is different. On a recent sightseeing flight around the North Valley and out to the Grand Canyon, ADS-B allowed me to see and avoid three aircraft that would have otherwise been uncomfortably close. Had I not had ADS-B, I would have remained on course and likely passed within only a couple hundred feet without spotting the other aircraft. Though my scan was vigilant, I missed each of these aircraft as I transitioned near the training areas in the North Valley. Fortunately, the ADS-B In portion of my Appareo/Stratus solution pinpointed them on my iPad and Foreflight alerted me visually and audibly. I saw the symbols and alerts, but could not see the traffic. I modified my course and altitude while continuing my scan. Each time, the aircraft appeared right where the system told me it would be. Without the traffic reporting their position, and my ADSB-In displaying it, we would have been far too close for comfort. This technology is nothing short of incredible. The capability to see and avoid traffic is no longer only available to well-equipped aircraft or those on instrument flight plans or Flight Following. Similar to noise-cancelling headsets and the iPad, ADS-B Out and In has revolutionized safety in the air. As the remainder of the fleet gets updated, it will only get better. It’s hard to imagine how you’ve flown so long without these technologies once you have them. I look back over the past 20+ years of flying all over this great nation and wonder how many others I missed. It’s a frightening thought. If you haven’t yet taken the plunge, please do so now. There are multiple solutions at just about every price point and several reputable shops and mechanics around the state to help out. Make your appointment, get the equipment installed and actually see what you’ve been missing all this time.
Blue Skies,
Brian