Originally published at: https://avweb.com/aviation-news/house-fails-to-advance-rotor-act/
Measure on ADS-B equipage falls short of two-thirds threshold.
I find this discussion unbelievable - it is 2025 right! I wouldn’t dream of flying my Cessna 150 on the central coast of California (or anywhere for that matter) without ADS-B in and out and my iPad. It is unimaginable to me why any pilot would elect to fly without being able to see traffic on a screen. I know it’s not foolproof but still a thousand times better than having no awareness but your eyeball. I can’t fathom why every GA aircraft mandated to have ADS-B out in A, B, and C airspace shouldn’t also have to have B in at the same time. Having “out” without “in” defeats the whole purpose of the system. I would go one step further and make it mandatory in Class D also.
I disagree. ADS-B in is advisory only. There is no tech available yet that can accurately project where other traffic is. Even TCAS (which is in the jet I fly) uses altitude changes to direct aircraft to avoid each other. TCAS TA’s which were in the older systems again were advisory only, not to be used to change heading on an IFR clearance without ATC clearance. I had an FO try to change heading when VFR due to a TCAS TA and ended up heading toward another plane in the new direction. I have flown planes with ADS-B in and got so many warnings I turned the system off or ignored it. When the technology and the FAR’s are changed to make ADS-B in as precise as TCAS II so that you can make course corrections ignoring ATC then I will believe ADS-B in is necessary. The FAA has not been willing to allow anything portable that is ADS-B related. Class A, B, C, and D airspace is supposed to be entered only with a ATC clearance, with ATC monitoring. The DCA accident Army helicopter should have never been allowed to be where they were. And DCA airport should have been closed after 9/11 just as the Secret Service wanted, instead of keeping open as the personal airport for Congress members. Spending thousands more for ADS-B makes no sense for a sub $50,000 plane. General aviation ( which by the way had nothing to do with the DCA accident or is even allowed to operate at DCA airport) is expensive enough, adding more equipment mandates just makes it more unreachable for those who want a career as a pilot.
An air safety instructor told me to fly at an oddball altitude. 3125, 3875, 2125, etc. Because a lot of pilots fly exactly on the 5’s. 3000, 3500, 4000, etc. I took his advice, and am here to tell about it. This does work.
I have had most success with always flying exactly 13.2 feet off the assigned altitude. Not 13.3 and definitely not 13.1. 13.2 works best. In airspace occupied by bigger airplanes I adjust accordingly.