In a recent article in Aviation International News (see
here) it is reported that there are further problems in the USA. To quote – in relation to the Notice of Proposed Rule Making on ADS-B:
Of the 1,372 responses to the document’s 85 separate issues, there were 101 positive comments, versus 1,271 negative–or “non-positive,” in FAA terminology–comments.
That is about 12:1 against the proposal – quite a resounding negative.
The article goes on to state:
What did this tell the FAA? Essentially, it said that however wonderful new technology solutions may appear to their advocates, intended users are concerned primarily with the ratio of cost to benefits, and most of the users believe the agency’s ADS-B out equipage mandate will not produce a positive cost-benefit equation for general aviation or anyone else who flies below jet altitudes.
It will be interesting to see how this issue in the USA is resolved. I would say we have quite a long way to go before they finalise exactly what they are doing.