Are you guys going to buy into Big Brother/government/FAA (all the same, more or less) on this one?

I live in the Pacific Northwest and rarely fly where a transponder is required, although I of course like the ability to do so when I choose as a free pilot.

Looking through my logs it's been at least a year since I was in Class B or C airspace. I've no need to fly over the Gulf of Mexico, and I can stay below 10,000' MSL/2,500' AGL if I need to.

I'm thinking of blowing off the mandate. I have a Garmin 250 GPS/comm (non WAAS/IFR) and a Garmin 327 transponder (not Mode-S). It would cost me a lot of money to go ADS-B for little or no gain, other than pleasing the government. This is not a priority of mine. I figure the $10,000 bracket.

Maybe sometime after 2020 I will do it after the prices come down and the shops backlog is dissapaited.

What do you all plan to do?

I have some concern for the value of our planes dropping A LOT after 2020 when used planes flood the market with people cashing out rather than upgrading.

I also figure our existing radios and Mode-C transponders will be worthless junk on eBay.

What are your thoughts everyone?

How do they do it in SA Chris?

I actually don't know, I avoid controlled space like the plague, I have a transponder with altitude encoding and I just had a look at my log book in the last year I used my transponder twice.
Once flying from controlled to controlled (B) and the other was flying an instrument approach in IMC
generally things are very relaxed here, even in controlled space ATC will let you pass through without transponder.

doc look at the freeflight system they have a mark down till the end of the year I'm thinking around 6K should get the job done. I'm thinking that maybe be the way I end up going . I have to make a decision soon my self.

http://www.freeflightsystems.com/

Don't you only have to have ADS-B out to comply with the regs? Haven't put a lot of thought into the system as I don't often fly below the border. New ADS-B out capable transponders are $3000+.(Aircraft Spruce)

That transponder will still need a was gps for position heading etc. I think Trig has one but not sure of the price

I really hope they don't start this nonsense in SA . It's taking the fun out of flying

My mode C died last summer and I haven't bothered replacing it. I'm on the fence, waiting to see what happens. The feds seem hell bent to regulate GA out of the air. We have one airport up here that is class C. I don't see the point.

For those of us that are based under the Class B veil it looks like the decision is to pay the extortion or sell the plane.

ADS-B is of absolutely no use to me but is the child of the big iron guys who have the big lobby in DC. AOPA is of little use since they primarily represent the group that has heart palpitations if the runway is less the 4k long and 50' wide....heaven forbid it is not paved. But even the AOPA efforts pale in comparison to the Delta, United, etc. lobby.

ADS-B in has some benefits, but when the costs start being a very significant percentage of the value of the aircraft, it is time to do a cost/benefit analysis.

TD

Not a chance this is going to happen by 2020!! The Feds are way, way behind the curve as far a progress goes. They still have not figured out what's going to be required for ADS-B Out yet as well as what they will allow for equipment, including Ipad's software, etc... Alaska is first location that ADS-B implemented many years ago, and there's still no coverage for about 85% of state. And then on top of everything ADS will only be required if you're flying at FL Altitudes or Class A, B, C airspace, and I would suspect that it will stay as is now in respect to entering that airspace, as I have landed Class B and C without a transponder, all it takes is a phone call, much cheaper than $10K - $20K in equipment... Not only that, but most avionics shops will tell you that they couldn't install into fleet of GA Aircraft prior to 2020 in any case, that the facilities aren't there to physically install all this equipment in GA Fleet if they were to start right now? Than on top of all this, AOPA is pressuring FAA to get off the pot, and also calling into question the cost for us little guys!!

I am ever hopeful this circus will pass us buy here in the ass end of the world

Everything I read in the aviation journals from the FAA in regards to this is that they will not budge, and that the deadline stands. Not encouraging.

They could give a rat's arse about us little guys, and this is one more sign our freedom offends them and they want us gone.

I think that the next step will be to require ADS-B in all controlled airspace, including Class E. That would be it for me.

Tom, I understand where you are coming from. If I lived under the veil the debate would be selling or staying and paying the extortion, while saving up for the next extortion.

Sadly, the used plane market is in a glut now as the economy has tanked, fewer people with the money to buy are young and healthy enough they are not concerned about the medical, and those people are more interested in iPhones, computers, and minivans. Therefore our planes are worth less and less, and this trend is likley to worsen exponentially, IMHO.

chris erasmus wrote:I am ever hopeful this circus will pass us buy here in the ass end of the world

In the US most/many of our circuses start in Washington DC, or Kalifornia, and then spread from there.

Anti-freedom thinking is even more prevelant in Europe.

Africa and South/Central America I don't know. My guess is that most countries have bigger things to worry about than a Maule with no mode S transponder, but the day may come there too.

In the US most/many of our circuses start in Washington DC

And will continue to do so until we get our elected officials out of the pocket of big money. The latest bill gave yet more power to the monied interest. Maybe I should buy stock in K-Y to at least make money for the rogering we are going to be taking.

I have a large supply being a doctor but it does not seem to help. I suspect our govenment problems are not repairable and will continue to worsen.

Aspen Avionics also has some solutions under $5K.

http://www.aspenavionics.com/products/nextgen/easyadsb