Association Giving Away $1,000 Towards Installation Each Day At AirVenture

It may seem that the December 31, 2020 deadline for installation of ADS-B Out equipment is far away ... but in reality, there are fewer than 1300 working days left to get your airplane equipped to operate in controlled airspace. Given the number of shops that are equipped and qualified to do the installation ... AEA warns that pilots and owners who put installation off may find themselves on a long waiting list.

In an effort to ease that burden for at least five lucky pilots or airplane owners, the AWA is conducting a sweepstakes with a daily drawing for a $1,000 credit towards installation of an ADS-B Out transponder.

AEA Communications Director Geoff Hill (pictured) said that as of Tuesday morning there had been about 55 entries, and the first winner had been drawn. "The FAA recently made it clear to Congress that the Jan. 1, 2020, deadline for ADS-B Out compliance is not going to change," Hill said. "Currently, the industry is barely upgrading 100 aircraft a month, or around five per workday, so there's a lot of work yet to do."

With the average installation costing between $1,000 and $1,300, the prize will go a long way towards helping the winners get into compliance. "We're basically giving away the installation," said Ric Peri, AEA VP for Government and Industry Affairs.

Hill said part of the reason for the sweepstakes is to raise awareness about the deadline.

FMI: www.aea.net