As early as the end of this week, the FAA may run out of the $500 rebates it is offering to certain fixed-wing general aviation aircraft operators to help them equip with ADS-B Out avionics, the agency said on Friday. “Fewer than 1,000 rebates remained as of Friday,” the agency said. “The rate of rebates being claimed has doubled from about 70 per day to about 150 per day in the last week.”
The FAA relaunched its rebate program last October, offering 9,792 reservations. “Rebates are available to encourage owners of fixed-wing, single-engine piston aircraft to equip with ADS-B Out avionics, which will be required in certain controlled airspace beginning Jan. 1, 2020,” the agency said.
Aircraft owners need to follow five steps to receive the $500 rebate: purchase the equipment and schedule its installation; obtain a Rebate Reservation Code by reserving a position online; have the equipment installed; conduct the required equipment performance validation and get an Incentive Code; and claim the $500 rebate online using the Rebate Reservation Code and Incentive Code.
In addition to the ADS-B rebate reservation portal, the FAA’s Equip ADS-B website lists FAA-certified ADS-B equipment and features an equipage database searchable by aircraft type and model.