A publication of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association
Issue link: http://natca.uberflip.com/i/1010678
For GA, the very rough estimate of avionics installation capacity nationwide is 50,000 aircraft per year and delays are becoming common at multiple avionics installation facilities. Users that wait too close to 2020 may find that the capacity for installation falls short of demand. Agency estimates of the overall GA fleet range widely from 100,000- 160,000 aircraft. However, only aircraft that operate in ADS-B Rule airspace (where a transponder is required) will have to equip. This drops the number that need to equip to an uncertain extent. Further, MITRE studies have indicated that another 25,000-40,000 registered aircraft aren't even seen operating in the NAS. Based on all this data, the actual number of GA aircraft needed to equip may actually be closer to the 80,000 range. At the current rate of equipage, 85,000 aircraft will be equipped by the deadline. The military has already indicated they will be unable to meet the 2020 deadline. Several of their older airframes simply cannot accommodate the new avionics. The military does expect to equip newer fighters and all of their larger aircraft, and the effort to do so has begun. To deal with the exception aircraft, the Agency is working on agreements with DOD to ensure specific radar sources remain in place. ADS-B IOCs have been completed at all En Route (ERAM and MEARTS) facilities. All ERAM sites have promoted ADS-B to the top of their sort cells. Three of four MEARTS facilities are operating on Fusion with ZSU next to transition. 132 of 155 Terminal sites have reached their ADS-B IOC, and 127 are operating on Fusion. The majority of the remaining Terminal sites are ARTS 2E sites awaiting an upgrade to the ELITE (STARS) build. The Terminal ADS-B/Fusion transition proceeds in this order: Kickoff meeting, ADS-B Flight Inspection, ADS-B IOC, Fusion Operational Suitability Demonstration (OSD), and Fusion Operations. The most recent and upcoming Terminal events: • Rochester (RST) Fusion Operational 6/20 • Springfield (SPI) ADS-B IOC 6/20 • Lake Charles (LCH) Fusion OSD 6/25 • Springfield (SPI) Fusion OSD 6/26 • Asheville (AVL) Fusion Operational 6/27 • Reading (RDG) Fusion Operational 6/27 • SCT WAM Ops Evaluation 6/27 • Springfield (SPI) Fusion Operational 7/11 • Lake Charles (LCH) Fusion Operational 7/19 • Erie (ERI) ADS-B/Fusion Kickoff 7/19 • Charlotte (CLT) WAM N-1 Flight Inspection 7/23-27 • Rockford (RFD) ADS-B/Fusion Kickoff 8/7 • Terre Haute (HUF) Flight Inspection 8/8 • Roanoke (ROA) ADS-B/Fusion Kickoff 8/9 • Bakersfield (BFL) ADS-B/Fusion Kickoff 8/23 ADS-B Avionics Issues: An issue not screened by automation systems but an important assumption for future ADS-B dependent applications is the broadcast call sign of the user. ADS-B aircraft reports include this information, and automation systems compare it to the filed call sign. When a mismatch occurs, a Call Sign Mismatch (CSMM) alert can be generated. The issue has been highlighted in Equip 2020 meetings since ADS-B dependent applications