I'm in the process of panel upgrade. As part of that I'm having the GDL 88 installed. I know this has both Ads-b in and out. I'm also putting in a new mode c transponder. I have a single 250 so never above 18. Does anyone know if mode s is are will be required for Canada? I live 50 minutes by air from the border and have thought about going just to go.

Bill

Bill,

I don't know about Mode-S for Canada but if you plan to fly into Canada I see a bigger issue with your plan and that is with regard to your ADS-B out. The GDL-88 uses the 978 MHz "Universal Access Transceiver (UAT) frequency. As you correctly noted this is fine for use under FL180. However... the UAT frequency has not been adopted by any country other than the US.

The true "universal" and ubiquitous world-wide standard for ADS-B out is 1090-ES or 1090 MHz "Extended Squitter" which piggybacks on the existing signal from a 1090 MHz transponder.

The GDL-88 will RECEIVE both 978 MHz UAT and 1090 MHz ES for ADS-B "IN" to display traffic on a compatible display but the GDL-88 only provides 978 UAT for the ADS-B "OUT". This means that you will be limited not only to staying under FL180 but also to staying within the continental United States.

Most avionics manufacturers have a pretty good write up on this. You can read about this on Garmin's website here -> http://www.garmin.com/us/intheair/ads-b/squit/

Notice on that page I reference above under the heading "ES Takes You Higher" it says (in part):

"...while UAT is limited to aircraft that will operate no higher than 17,999 ft MSL. So far, no country except the U.S. has accepted the 978 MHz UAT format for their ADS-B datalinks. Consequently, pilots who want to fly outside the U.S. — or operate at or above FL180 — will need the 1090 ES transponder for ADS-B “Out”..." (emphasis added in bold)

Thus if you plan to fly into Canada you will need a 1090-ES Out solution. If you are putting in a new Mode C transponder such at the Garmin GTX-327, I'd recommend you instead look at the GTX-330ES. It's more expensive but it's Mode-S and has the 1090-ES out built right in. It does require a WAAS GPS source which the GDL-88 already has built right in. The GDL-88 can still give you the "In" capability dual-band on both frequencies.

I would talk to your avionics shop / installer about where you plan to fly because once the ADS-B curtain falls (and that's happening earlier than 2020 in many countries) you won't be able to get outside the US with a GDL-88 978-UAT Out solution.

Good Luck,

- Charles

I agree with Charles Schefer as far as the direction of the regulations in other countries. Garmin has no choice but to state the regulations.
Canada has also mandated 406 MHZ ELT's, but will allow US registered aircraft in their country without the 406 ELT's because they don't want to reduce the US tourists into their country. They basically say that if we meet US regulations, we are welcome.
They may take the same approach with ADS-B.

I believe that the Bahamas will also not want to limit US tourism.

Admittedly, it is a crap shoot, but certainly the GDL 88 allows us to get the benefits of ADS-B in and out in the US immediately, with the risk of having to buy some kind of 1090 transponder in the future, if we need it for foreign travel.

Ron Keil

I took a chance that Canada will still let me in. It may well prove to be a mistake, but I wanted the 406 locater and the SVT for the G500 more. In reading an Aopa article on the 406 beacon it seems to me Canada make some concessions for us pilots who are south of the border. The best benefit I can see for Ads-b is for traffic and I wanted that hard wired in.

Thanks

The 406 ELT is not mandatory in Canada yet. Pilot groups have been vocal in halting it here. I have them in both of my planes and will have in the third.

I know first hand of a lady whose husband died in the crash of their plane, it took 5 hours to find the crash site with a cell phone and an old 121.5 ELT. The wreck was up on the side of a mountain in the snow and trees in March, I think a 406 ELT would have led to a speedier recovery.

Clarence

A friend of mine recently went down with a 406 on board her friend's aircraft. With a single ping, they were found in 30 minutes. Terrain was so rugged, no roads nearby. Unfortunately, all 3 on board perished in crash or fire. Had there been a chance, help was there fast with the 406.

That's one of the main reasons I felt this was a must have safety item for me. I fly from Minnesota out west a couple times a year. It might just be the difference.

I would like to pass on what we accomplished during our annual this month (Feb 2017), we added ADS-B to our aircraft. We installed an Apparro Stratus ESG for out and Stratus 2si for ADS-B in. With the Stratus 2si it gets its power and info from the Stratus ESG. I then interface to everything on my iPad. On my side everything worked very well. Only had a minor setting issue, that I did not know when it took off for the test flight profile to complete the requirements to get the $500 FAA rebate. Seem our avionics shop did not reset the units status to normal after they completed the install. For testing, they have to place it in a mode that always shows the aircraft as being in the air. The tech said that he new it was not reset to normal, but I pulled it out of the hangar for the test flight while he had his head down working on another aircraft. He said he looked up and the plane was gone. When I returned and put the aircraft back in the hangar, he immediately corrected the issue in less than 3 minutes. Sure enough the report from the FAA showed I was in the air all the time rather than indicating on the ground and in the air differently. The second attempt will wait for week or so to get good enough weather to re-fly the ADS-B profile and hopefully have it register correctly. Then request the report from the FAA again.

So far I like the Stratus ESG unit very much. Looks great and very easy to work.