uAvionix announced that it has received Technical Standard Order Authorization (TSOA) for its skyBeacon integrated ADS-B Out solution on Tuesday. The skyBeacon was designed to replace the wingtip navigation or nav/strobe lights found on many aircraft including the Cessna 172 and Piper PA-28. It includes TSOs for the ADS-B, GPS, barometric altitude sensor, position light and anti-collision light and will meet the 2020 ADS-B requirements when paired with a Mode C or Mode S transponder.
“We were driven to innovate new solutions by the unique form factor of skyBeacon,” said uAvionix Chief Operating Officer Ryan Braun. “This was especially true for the WAAS GPS, where no existing receiver could meet our size, cost and performance needs. This meant both designing our own GPS, and working with the FAA to develop a new process for certification of complex COTS solutions.”
uAvionix says that it expects STCs for multiple Cessna and Piper aircraft in the next few weeks and that “the STC data and installations satisfy FAA requirements,” allowing the skyBeacon to be installed on other compatible aircraft without an STC. For those cases, installation will qualify as a minor alteration as long as no airframe modifications are necessary. According to the company, typical installation time runs about an hour. Price for the skyBeacon is $1,849 and it will begin shipping once the STCs have been received.
In addition, uAvionix is working on certification for its tailBeacon, a similar ADS-B Out unit that replaces the aft aircraft position light. The company is also facing alawsuit filed by Garmin regarding ownership of the ADS-B technology used in the skyBeacon.
