When it comes to ADS-B upgrades, aircraft owners and operators are faced with many choices, but for older business aircraft, the decision has as much to do with plans to continue flying as it does with which equipment to install. Fortunately, manufacturers such as Garmin are stepping up with new approved model list supplemental type certificates (AML-STCs), which spread certification costs over many available aircraft types and ultimately lower the cost for owners and operators of older jets.

For older jets the Garmin AML-STCs announced late last year cover a variety of models. “The majority are third-party STCs, and we partnered with avionics shops to take on Part 25 STCs, using folks who are experts in those airframes,” said Bill Stone, Garmin senior business development manager. Aircraft with and without Tcas II are covered by the STCs.

The avionics shops that developed the Garmin AML-STCs for the following types are:

Butler Avionics (Learjet 20, 30, 60 series)

Columbia Avionics (Citation 550/560/560XL, 650)

Elliott Aviation (Hawker 750, 800A, some models of the 800XP, 850XP, 900XP, 1000; Beechjet 400A/Hawker 400XP; Premier I/IA)

Gulfstream (G150/G200)

JetTech (Citation 550/560/560XL)

Southeast Aerospace (Learjet 20 and 30 series, 55, 55B, 55C; Citation 650; Beechjet 400A/Hawker 400XP; Hawker 700A/700B, 800A/800B; Beechcraft MU-300, 400; Falcon 20/50/200/900)

The key to keeping costs down for older aircraft ADS-B out upgrades is to make it worthwhile for the owner of an asset that might have little useful life left or have a value so low that it isn’t worth spending too much on upgrades. Some upgrades, for example, run well over $100,000. “That’s tough to justify if the aircraft is worth six figures,” Stone said. “So many of the solutions that may be available require upgrading the FMS to Waas, then using that to feed the transponder. Some modifications we’re seeing cost in the $200,000 to $250,000 range. Tying [FMS and Waas] together ends up being costly.”

By separating the upgrading of the FMS, which might not be necessary just for ADS-B out, from the requirement for an accurate GPS position sensor (and a Waas receiver does qualify), it’s possible to keep the cost of an ADS-B out upgrade as low as $30,000 to $40,000 for a non-Tcas-equipped jet, or $70,000 to $80,000 for a jet with Tcas II. The owner can always upgrade the FMS to Waas capability later if necessary, but at least complying with ADS-B out meets the Jan. 1, 2020 FAA mandate as well as ADS-B requirements in other countries.

When choosing the Garmin upgrade path, owners of the above jets but without Tcas II can select Garmin’s new GTX 345R/335R remote-mount ADS-B transponders, which offer the option of including the required GPS sensor. The GTX 345R adds ADS-B in for reception of free FAA FIS-B weather information, which can be sent wirelessly to portable devices running the Garmin Pilot and ForeFlight Mobile apps.  

For Tcas II-equipped jets, the solution includes Garmin’s GDL 88 ADS-B datalink, which includes the GPS sensor, and GTX 3000 mode-S transponder. Adding ADS-B in to this solution requires buying Garmin’s Flight Stream wireless datalink (either the 110 or 210), and then FIS-B weather and TIS-B traffic can be displayed on portable devices. The Flight Stream 210 includes AHRS for attitude indicator displays on Garmin Pilot and ForeFlight Mobile apps. The ADS-B out solution for Tcas II-equipped jets also includes antenna diversity (antennas mounted on the top and bottom of the fuselage), which means the jet would be capable of using space-based ADS-B services when those become widely available. 

Garmin is working with avionics dealers on adding more models to the ADS-B out AML-STC list. Meanwhile avionics shops are starting to get busy as the 2020 mandate approaches. “Some shops are booked through the summer now,” Stone said, “and I think that is going to continue to be the theme for next few years.”