What ever happened to the idea of 'free flight'?

[tcourt]

Just as a reminder free flight was an alternative to IFR control proposed a couple of decades ago that would put instrumentation in airplane cockpits allowing them to know where other airplanes are and have the pilots resolve the conflicts themselves without controllers. If I remember right, busy airports would still have controllers and sequencing, but en-route would be up to the pilots involved.

I'm surprised with the talk once again of privatizing ATC and the deployment of ADS-B that this hasn't been talked about more. A much more limited ATC that was privatized would be a lot less scary than giving a single private organization ownership of the whole sky.

I can see training issues as well as system issues, particularly given the need for UAT to 1090 repeaters causing difficulty in seeing all traffic close to the surface) But the biggest problem may be resistance to change which seemed like what killed the idea las time.

Thoughts?

[martymayes]

They decided free flight was too expensive.

[Bill Berson]

Seems to me the safest and cheapest is a smart computer controlled sequenceing system. It would almost never need any inputs from pilots or controllers. There is only about 5000 aircraft airborne in the whole U.S. at any time. Can't be that complex to automate.
Majors airports might need to retain a few controllers to monitor. And of course after 2020 pilots will have the ability to "see" traffic instead of talking to busy controllers.

My local airport is uncontrolled. It would be nice if the local AWOS also worked something like a street stoplight to automatically direct incoming traffic.

[Mike M]

..And of course after 2020 pilots will have the ability to "see" traffic instead of talking to busy controllers...

Not QUITE true.

https://generalaviationnews.com/2014/11/13/can-you-ignore-the-ads-b-2020-mandate/

[martymayes]

Not QUITE true.

Well......somebody has been doing a heck of a marketing job or people are just not paying attention because most believe that if ADS-B is not installed by the deadline and their plane will be grounded.

[Bill Berson]

Not QUITE true.

https://generalaviationnews.com/2014/11/13/can-you-ignore-the-ads-b-2020-mandate/

What's not true?
Pilots in controlled airspace will need ADS-B out in 2020.
ADS-B isn't required in class G. But if it was cheap enough (say $500) it could save lives. A C-150 midair took a life just yesterday, I think.

[tcourt]

They decided free flight was too expensive.Free flight would require putting a transmitter and a GPS in every plane and a receiver and a display in every IFR plane. Which is exactly the same price as ADS-B out for VFR and ADS-B in/out for IFR.Likely that wast the reason for killing it the first time, but like the head of a hydra it just grew back. Unfortunately without the freedom the original idea would give.

[tcourt]

What's not true?A lot of class E space is exempted also. Roughly the 2020 rule is if you need Mode-C, you need ADS-B out, if you don't need Mode-C you still don't need ADS-B out.Which means there is still a need to see and avoid in any system when flying VFR. And all the controllers may be getting is an unreliable primary radar return w/o altitude.

[martymayes]

What's not true?
Pilots in controlled airspace will need ADS-B out in 2020.

The FAA statement on their ADS-B homepage is "Starting January 1, 2020, you must be equipped with ADS-B Out to fly in most controlled airspace." [emphasis mine]

I think they are exaggerating the "most" part by including already positive control airspace above FL180 and the little-used-by-GA 10k to FL180 airspace. Below 10k, most controlled airspace (by volume) will not require ADS-B

[Bill Berson]

Yes, there are exceptions, such as gliders and balloons and no electric system.
But my experience with close near midairs were all in rural class G airspace because that's where I fly.
It seems to me eventually the majority of flying owners would want to install an affordable ADS-B for use in class G even if not required.
Much like most small airplanes are equipped with radios for CTAF for use at uncontrolled fields even though a radio isn't required.

[Cary]

I have had ADS-B In for about 4 years (Stratus 2) and ADS-B Out for about 14 months (KT74 transponder tied to a 430W), and it's extremely helpful--it adds eyes and ears which help me "see" traffic that otherwise I might miss. With only ADS-B In, I only saw some of the traffic when I was flying in the Denver area (or other busy area with many ADS-B Out equipped aircraft). But there's a dramatic increase now, especially because so many are now having ADS-B Out installed in anticipation of the rush at avionics shops over the next couple of years.

A good "for instance" happened just this last Tuesday morning. I was moving my airplane from KGXY (Greeley) to KFNL (Fort Collins-Loveland) for some mechanical work. It's only 17 miles, so when people fly between the two, they mostly don't follow the hemispheric rule, because they don't fly high enough--KGXY is at 4700' MSL and KFNL is at 5,000' MSL. Nonetheless, I prefer to follow it anyway, so I'd climbed to 6,500' westbound. My ES transponder suddenly reacted and a voice said "traffic", and the traffic page showed on the 430W with a "spot" dead ahead (it doesn't show altitude). A second later, a voice from the iPad Mini 4 (Bluetoothed to my headset) said "traffic, 12 o'clock, 400 feet below". I glanced at the Mini 4, and a red window had popped up, which also said "traffic, 12 o'clock, 400 feet below". The map showed opposite direction traffic, complete with tail number, a mile away. I knew where to look, but I never saw the traffic. ​I wouldn't have even known about it, without ADS-B In and Out, since for such a short distance, I don't usually use Flight Following.

The benefits of ADS-B Out are available right now. It's not cheap, but IMHO, it's worth it, unless all one's flying is all in the pattern of a very definite rural airstrip.

Cary