Tow planes and ADS-B Out

I realize our operational environments are varied, but what’s the trend for equipping tow planes with ADS-B out? The broad requirement distilled down is that it’s “required in airspace where transponders are required,� which for us is pretty rare. There are relatively easy/cheap (by aviation standards anyway) installs available, so there’s that.

Larry Ruggiero, Carolina Soaring

The two tow planes I maintain have different ADS-B out. On one I installed a Stratus ESG transponder. (The original transponder had failed.) The other tow plane I just installed a skyBeacon.

My preference if it’s my airplane is to install an Stratus ESGi. That way you have a new transponder with both in and out. The tow pilots can pick up the ADS-B in along with AHRS and weather on their iPads.

The uAvionix tailBeacon will not work on a stock Pawnee rudder FYI.

On Sunday, October 27, 2019 at 9:29:35 AM UTC-7, Larry Ruggiero wrote:
I realize our operational environments are varied, but what’s the trend for equipping tow planes with ADS-B out? The broad requirement distilled down is that it’s “required in airspace where transponders are required,� which for us is pretty rare. There are relatively easy/cheap (by aviation standards anyway) installs available, so there’s that.

Larry Ruggiero, Carolina Soaring

Bare in mind that the biannual transponder check may be more expensive with ADS-B as new, much more expensive, test equipment is required.

Tom

You’re very incorrect. Having ADS-B out has nothing to do with the biennial transponder check. If your transponder is mode S as opposed to mode C there’s a slightly higher cost. $125 compared to $90 where I am at. All of the ADS-B out transponders are mode S.

Well I guess you’re not totally incorrect. You’ll probably pay $35 more per year if you currently have a mode c transponder.

On Sunday, October 27, 2019 at 7:00:18 PM UTC-7, Charles Longley wrote:
You’re very incorrect. Having ADS-B out has nothing to do with the biennial transponder check. If your transponder is mode S as opposed to mode C there’s a slightly higher cost. $125 compared to $90 where I am at. All of the ADS-B out transponders are mode S.

Just reporting what my avionics tech told me.

Tom

There are quite a few operations inside mode C veils around the country...

Tow pilots with iPads.Â* What a hoot!

On 10/27/2019 4:02 PM, Charles Longley wrote:
The two tow planes I maintain have different ADS-B out. On one I installed a Stratus ESG transponder. (The original transponder had failed.) The other tow plane I just installed a skyBeacon.

My preference if it’s my airplane is to install an Stratus ESGi. That way you have a new transponder with both in and out. The tow pilots can pick up the ADS-B in along with AHRS and weather on their iPads.

The uAvionix tailBeacon will not work on a stock Pawnee rudder FYI.

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Dan, 5J

At least half of our tow pilots use them. We do quite a bit of cross country for retrieves and expeditions.

Good to know the tail beacon; I assume it’s because the rudder isn’t stable enough.