ADS-B

[KB5HAV_BG]

I've searched this forum about ADS-B but can't find anything on it, so, here goes.

I'm just getting back into Flight Simming and hope to soon obtain my PPL. For now, I'm using P3D v4 along with the A2A C172 and 182T and I'm loving it!

I've read and am learning about the FFA mandate that ALL aircraft be equipped with ADS-B by January 1, 2020. So, I am curious, will ADS-B support be added to the A2A GA lineup?

Thanks for creating a great product!

Sincerely,
Bobby Graves
Brandon, MS
KMBO

[Oracle427]

ADS-B Out provides most benefit to ATC. As a pilot you receive indirect benefit from equipping with ADS-B out where it is required. It is not required for aircraft operating outside certain airspace. ADS-B out provides more timely and accurate position data to ATC thereby allowing more efficient use of the airspace. As ATC is very poorly simulated in Flight Simulator, I can't see how this would be of any benefit whatsoever.

ADS-B In is optional and provides several direct benefits to pilots in the form of better traffic information, provided that the other traffic is ADS-B out equipped. The pilot can also receive weather and weather station if properly equipped to display this data. Generating composite radar data in flight simulator is something quite challenging to do as I understand. The engine doesn't simulate "weather systems", so I'm pretty sure that it will be of limited value.

This capability is already available for GA, but it requires an XM data subscription and an XM receiver installation. With ADS-B IN it comes with the package for free, though geographic coverage is limited. ADS-B also provides this data from the ground, so unlike with the XM service one may need to get airborne before weather data starts flowing in.

Displaying METAR and TAF data might be interesting on various avionics, but none of the stock A2A models have avionics with these capabilities. No idea if showing other traffic is possible in a realistic fashion with third party avionics.

Most this seems well beyond the scope of simulating an aircraft, and goes into the realm of extending the base simulation's weather and ATC functionality. It would be cool, but not sure if A2A wants to go there. The avionics piece of the puzzle would need to come after addressing the preconditions of weather and ATC.

I use some aircraft with ADS-B Out along with a Stratus and Foreflight. It is interesting to see all the traffic that we did not pick up with TIS alone. It is very useful to see the type, flight/tail # so that you can quickly ID who ATC is speaking to in your vicinity.

[AKar]

No idea if showing other traffic is possible in a realistic fashion.

Well, there are fairly complete simulations of TCAS integrated in airliner products. I'd guess the simulator can provide most of the data needed.

-Esa

[Alan_A]

The Flight 1 Garmin GTNs include traffic reporting (and maybe the Reality XP ones do as well, but I'm not familiar with them).