CASA today confirmed that private IFR aircraft would not have to fit ADS-B Out equipment for another three years.
Initially, the deadline was 2 February 2017, which caused controversy in the aviation community because it was three years ahead of the USA mandate deadline. Many in the industry believe that this increased unit and installation costs for Australian owners.
Today, CASA announced that the new deadline for private IFR operations would now be 1 January 2020 in line with the USA.
However, private IFR flights without ADS-B will be subject to the following restrictions.
- The aircraft must have been manufactured before 6 February 2014
- Below 10,000 feet in Class G airspace
- Full ATC clearances in Class D
- Only in Classes C and E if arriving or departing a Class D airport and then only with prior clearance and if fitted with a transponder.
According to CASA, the new deadline will enable the remainder of the IFR fleet to be fitted "in an orderly manner", which is expected to reduce the burden on aircraft owners and avionics engineers.
CASA’s acting Director of Aviation Safety, Shane Carmody, said the changes to ADS-B requirements will benefit a small number of private aircraft operators who have not yet been able to fit the equipment while still ensuring safety.
“CASA continues to strongly encourage all aircraft owners and operators to fit ADS-B equipment due to the many safety benefits this technology provides. ADS-B provides better air traffic information outside controlled airspace, greater ability to avoid bad weather, more accurate and faster search and rescue and more direct flight paths," he said in the November 2016 CASA Briefing Newsletter.
The authorisation instrument, CASA 114/16 for Australian-registered aircraft, stresses that the authorisation does not guarantee private IFR aircraft without ADS-B will be able to operate in controlled airspace, leaving clearance discretion to ATC.