New ADS-B Mandate coming into effect in U.S.

NAV CANADA is issuing a reminder to pilots and air carriers that the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) mandate for ADS-B comes into force January 1, 2020. Under these new U.S. regulations, planes flying in most U.S. controlled airspace must be equipped with ADS-B Out.

Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B) uses GPS technology to calculate an airplane’s precise location, speed and direction and transmits this information twice per second to ADS-B receivers. This provides greater situational awareness for air traffic controllers and provides safety and efficiency benefits for pilots.

Flights that originate in or enter U.S. sovereign airspace controlled by NAV CANADA, and will not enter FAA controlled airspace, will continue to operate as they do today.

Quick Facts

• The current flight planning processes for operation in U.S. sovereign airspace that is controlled by NAV CANADA remain unchanged.
• There are no requirements for ADS-B equipage in Canadian airspace at this time. NAV CANADA and Transport Canada continue to work together on regulatory changes and equipment certification. It is expected that ADS-B Out equipage will be mandated in Canadian airspace in a phased approach.
• Some of the benefits of implementing ADS-B surveillance include: increased situational awareness through improved accuracy of aircraft position and trajectory, earlier warnings/alerts of unexpected aircraft deviations and improved emergency response for tracking and locating aircraft in distress.