Flybe ?

[oliver14]

Just thinking out loud really, but has anybody heard when we may see the Flybe fleet start to be re equipped with ads-b ?

I know it will be mandatory by Dec 2017, but I Can't imagine that they would wait until then, and then have to do the whole fleet ! surely it would be better to do them over a long period of time and spread the cost over a few budget years.

I have no idea how long it takes to fit an individual aircraft or how much, if anyone could enlighten me I would be very interested, maybe as aircraft go in for major overhaul's ?

thanks,

[neroon79]

I would guess, that they would integrate the installation of ADS-B equipment into the C or D-Check of their airframes, as most of the interior (all if D-Check) has to be removed during these checks. That way it would be much easier to install (if they wasn't installed previously) additional antennas, cables and nav boxes needed for ADS-B transmissions. Another advantage to procede that way: no further grounding times* were needed.

*That equals no additional financial loss due to the not-flying time of the airframe. As you may know aiframes only gain money if they are in operation. If they are on the ground the produce costs.

Ingo

[oliver14]

Thanks for the reply neroon79, that's very interesting, as you say, an aircraft on the ground is not earning money.

I imagine they will start to pop up in dribs and drabs when these checks are done then.
Living near Birmingham airport it would certainly make the map a bit more lively !

thanks again.

[oliver14]

To bump this previous thread, it is great to see more and more aircraft appearing on the map now of all types, but I am very interested to know how on earth Flybe are going to upgrade transponders in all of their fleet ( 80+ ? ) in 2 years, thats a lot of down time !!