By Ian Sinclair
I have been loving my ADS-B IN lately. It is especially satisfying knowing that my electronic 1090 ES ADS-B OUT data is showing up on other people’s ADS-B IN screens.
There are still a bunch of aircraft that do not have OUT and will not appear on your IN, but it is encouraging how many do. Quite often when I fly cross-country from South Canterbury to Wanaka, the majority of aircraft giving position reports are also showing as IN targets. I’ve got into the habit at the start of each flight of not trusting my IN until I have seen a target show up. Usually I can do that by zooming out and picking up high altitude traffic. It proves that all the links in my chain of technology are working and that I can reasonably expect to see targets on my IN.
I think IN is also really good as a visual traffic identification training tool. I find that once there is a target showing on my IN, it drives me crazy if my visual scan has not picked up the traffic, and I use the IN data to zone in on the traffic visually. Sometimes I can’t see traffic because of the distance or altitude difference.
I’m also constantly amazed by how full a sometimes quiet and empty-looking sky really is. ADS-B IN is just another tool in your situational awareness tool kit. Your aeroplane can still fly with IN turned off, but why would you? Having functional IN – and OUT – is the same as having a clean windscreen. You can fly with it dirty, but why would you?
This article first appeared in the Autumn 2021 edition of Approach Magazine, the dedicated magazine of AOPA NZ, which is published quarterly.