UCAP Blog

Didja hear? The FAA found an exciting new tact for convincing airlines to adopt ADS-B: Pay for it!

Cool, huh?

While those poor airlines struggle with their outstanding (and growing) profits, the FAA plans to spend $4.2 million to equip 35 of JetBlue’s A320s, according to several reports.

Don’t be shocked – there’s precedent.

The FAA paid to equip a large number of GA aircraft in Alaska to equip them for CAPSTONE when testing the technology and concept…and the agency pitched in with UPS for the Ohio River Valley tests.

The FAA is now setting out to “convince” JetBlue with pre-paid ADS-B for 35 of its 116 Boeings.

In exchange for “participating” JetBlue will share data with the FAA – which, those press reports say, will be used to better efforts to convince the rest of us.

And, the Agency gets a (new) poster child for ADS-B while Southwest gets to scratch its head and wonder why it’s spending its own money.

Wait…SWA knows – the carrier did its homework. While other carriers treated the ADS-B requirement like a DOT version of climate-change regulation, Southwest found fuel savings using Required Navigation Performance (RNP) routes…and started work.

Meanwhile, some parts of GA have their own very real questions and valid doubts – given the costs of equipping from scratch and how the rules are currently set.

So, here’s my idea, Mr. Babbitt: If it takes accepting pre-paid ADS-B to convince airlines we in general aviation are willing to make the same sacrifice and endure the same convincing effort!

We willing to sacrifice like JetBlue. And since I’m sure you folks at the FAA want GA to be more convinced than Southwest, we’re willing to be as convinced as JetBlue.

Now, need to get an airplane before the installer arrives…