The FAA issued a policy statement establishing the requirement for operators to obtain ATC authorizations to fly aircraft that are not equipped for ADSâB Out through ADSâB-mandated airspace beginning in January 2020. However, the policy makes it clear that obtaining authorizations is not guaranteed and could be difficult.
Under the policy, the operator must make the request to ATC for an authorized deviation at least one hour before the proposed flight in ADS-B airspace. Requests are addressed on a âcase-by- case basisâ and ATC might not be able to grant authorizations for a variety of reasons, including workload, runway configurations, air traffic flows, and weather conditions.
Whatâs more, the FAA said it does not intend to divert ATC facility resources from other critical functions that directly support controllers performing their duties in order to prioritize and manage authorizations for operators of non-equipped aircraft. âAs plans to divest radar begin to take effect, the authorization policy will necessarily evolve as accommodation of non-equipped aircraft in ADSâB Out airspace becomes more complicated.â Additionally, the FAA anticipates that the need to obtain authorizations âwill quickly diminish over time as universal equipage grows.â
Consistent with that policy, the FAA also notes that it âwill be difficultâ for unscheduled operators conducting flights at capacity constrained airports (the major facilities in class B airspace) to obtain authorizations. âUnscheduled operators with a need to access this airspace on more than an occasional basis should equip with ADSâB Out to ensure no disruption to operations.â