With the 2020 ADS-B deadline now less than four years away, the FAA is rolling out a $500 rebate incentive program to encourage earlier equipage for up to 20,000 operators of fixed-wing, single-engine piston aircraft. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx announced the rebate program in Washington today as FAA Administrator Michael Huerta detailed the program to the Wichita Aero Club luncheon in Wichita. 

Aircraft that fly in controlled airspace must be equipped with ADS-B OUT by Jan. 1, 2020. The FAA estimates that the requirement will affect as many as 160,000 aircraft, the vast majority of which are piston singles. Foxx noted manufacturers have stepped up with new compliant equipment and, as a result, costs are coming down.

Equipage has been steadily picking up but is still complete on only a fraction of the affected aircraft. “We’re hoping that these low prices combined with the FAA’s $500 rebate will encourage aircraft operators to get off the sidelines and take advantage of all the benefits ADS-B has to offer,” Foxx said.

Fewer than 20,000 general aviation aircraft (non-air carrier aircraft), or roughly between 12 percent and 20 percent of the anticipated affected fleet, were ADS-B compliant by May 1. “The equipage numbers aren’t currently where we’d like to see them,” Foxx said. “It is essential [the general aviation] community get into compliance with our NextGen requirements by 2020. We are sending a signal today that we are serious about this and are putting our money where our mouth is.”

Tapping into existing funding from its Surveillance and Broadcast Services program, the FAA will offer the rebates on a first-come, first-served basis for one year or until all 20,000 rebates are claimed. The program is expected to begin this fall, said FAA Deputy Administrator Michael Whitaker. The rebates will be available to offset cost to install compliant ADS-B OUT equipment, but will not be available for software upgrades on aircraft already equipped. Nor will they be available for new aircraft, Whitaker said.

Foxx added that the finite number of rebates and limited scope of covered aircraft is meant to “kick start” equipage and get to “the heart” of the general aviation fleet. One rebate will be available per owner.

The program was widely lauded by the general aviation industry, which for years has been urging owners to equip early.

“The avionics repair shop industry in the U.S. has less than 43 months remaining to equip the entire general aviation fleet of more than 100,000 aircraft with ADS-B Out avionics equipment,” said Aircraft Electronics Association president Paula Derks. “With competitive prices across the board for equipment and a $500 rebate for a limited time for up to 20,000 purchases, we anticipate the installation pace for eligible equipment will pick up dramatically in the next several months.”

Derks expressed concern that scheduling pressures will increase, as well as installation costs, the longer aircraft owners wait.

“While the numerous benefits of ADS-B technology are crystal clear to the thousands of operators who have already equipped, we hope this incentive will encourage others who have been waiting to install ADS-B equipment to act as soon as possible,” said GAMA president and CEO Pete Bunce.

Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association president Mark Baker added that the program to help defray the cost could make a difference to aircraft owners. “The cost to equip has been a significant sticking point for many GA aircraft owners,” Baker said.