Another ADS-B receiver announcement from FreeFlight Systems

With all the announcements on new ADS-B receivers recently, I though readers may find this interesting.

FreeFlight is a significant player in the ADS-B market, it currently offers a certified fully compliant UAT transceiver (with internal GPS).

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FreeFlight Systems Introduces XPLORER

Waco, Texas - FreeFlight Systems introduces the the XPLORER weather receiver, a high‐performance, affordable, easily installed system that gives pilots access to free datalink weather today and a built‐in upgrade path to fully compliant ADS‐B capabilities to meet the 2019 mandatory equipage deadline.

Based on FreeFlight Systems? proven and highly regarded RANGR family of 978MHz UAT ADS‐B systems, XPLORER receives the full ADS‐B Flight Information Service Broadcast (FIS‐B) that includes graphical weather. XPLORER connects wirelessly to any suitable display including the iPad running FreeFlight Systems? free app. Additional XPLORER‐compatible apps for iPad and other portable devices will be available soon.

The FreeFlight Systems XPLORER solution delivers superior price‐performance compared to other low‐cost receivers. The XPLORER system is permanently installed with no cockpit or wire clutter. It also includes an externally mounted ADSB antenna for unimpeded reception of broadcast data. The XPLORER solution is designed to be integrated with a certified ADS‐B Out transmitter as required in advance of the December 2019 equipage deadline. With a certified transmitter installed, the XPLORER system also becomes a full‐featured, ADS‐B traffic receiver displaying complete and accurate traffic data. It is important to note that other lowcost receivers operating without a certified ADS‐B Out transmitter permit the display of incomplete and therefore potentially hazardous traffic information.

XPLORER is priced at $585 and is available at Oshkosh for August delivery.

?Like our trusted RANGR product line, our XPLORER not only meets the high performance and safety standards that pilots expect, it is designed from the start to be part of a fully compliant and affordable ADS‐B solution,? said Tim Taylor, CEO of FreeFlight Systems. ?This means that aircraft owners and operators can receive the benefits of ADS‐B weather now knowing that their investment in avionics is sensible, protected and counts 100 percent toward meeting that looming deadline.?

About FreeFlight Systems
FreeFlight Systems designs and manufactures high‐performance avionics systems that deliver substantial safety, cost, environmental and other benefits from the NextGen airspace transformation. Founded in 2001 and based in Texas, the company pioneered the first certified WAAS GPS receiver and today produces a range of high‐quality, competitively priced ADS‐B systems for installation in all aircraft types

Nice. I hope this one (since it's the cheapest I've seen) is somehow able to be made to work with a GRT HXr....

My opinion is that these manufacturers need to stop trying to use the argument that running a TIS-B receiver with no ADS-B out is somehow dangerous.

Nobody should be relying on any traffic avoidance system as their sole means or primary traffic avoidance method. NOBODY.....PERIOD.....

All traffic avoidance systems should only be used to augment EYEBALLS OUT THE WINDOW.

If this simple rule is followed, TIS-B with no ADS-B out can only improve the percentage of traffic that is spotted by the pilot. It should never degrade the pilot's ability as long as they are looking outside most of the time.

Just my opinion, worth what you paid for it....

Brantel said:

These manufacturers need to stop trying to use the argument that running a TIS-B receiver with no ADS-B out is somehow dangerous.

Nobody should be relying on any traffic avoidance system as their sole means or primary traffic avoidance method. NOBODY.....PERIOD.....

All traffic avoidance systems should only be used to augment EYEBALLS OUT THE WINDOW.

If this simple rule is followed, TIS-B with no ADS-B out can only improve the percentage of traffic that is spotted by the pilot. It should never degrade the pilot's ability as long as they are looking outside most of the time.

Click to expand...

Good point! The regs will still use "see and avoid" as their enforcement guideline and teaching rule...as they should. Not sure we need more reasons to bury our head in the cockpit

Freeflight also does not that I can easily find list what Models/Brands displays their devices work with.

That is key to all of these new boxes hitting the market. They only work with certain devices so people have to be very careful with what they purchase to ensure it is going to talk to what they expect it to.

Brantel said:

My opinion is that these manufacturers need to stop trying to use the argument that running a TIS-B receiver with no ADS-B out is somehow dangerous.

Nobody should be relying on any traffic avoidance system as their sole means or primary traffic avoidance method. NOBODY.....PERIOD.....

All traffic avoidance systems should only be used to augment EYEBALLS OUT THE WINDOW.

If this simple rule is followed, TIS-B with no ADS-B out can only improve the percentage of traffic that is spotted by the pilot. It should never degrade the pilot's ability as long as they are looking outside most of the time.

Just my opinion, worth what you paid for it....

Click to expand...

Agree 100%. I have been flying for 4+ years now with the Zaon XRX traffic. It is not perfect but it sure advises me on a lot more targets than I see without it. Contrary to many fearful posts I have seen on numerous threads concerning traffic on our displays, these devices DO NOT make things less safe. I honestly do not understand where the idea comes from that a pilot's head will be buried in the cockpit and not looking out the window whenever one of these traffic avoidance devices is installed. Obviously from individuals who have never experienced flight with traffic avoidance devices in the cockpit. Whenever the Zaon displays a target on the moving map I am instantly looking out the window for the REAL target. And, I am not just looking in the vicinity the device shows it to be. I and my wife both begin a constant scan from back to front, left to right until we are able to locate the aircraft.

If anyone thinks this is an unsafe method of traffic avoidance I would say those people are very ignorant of the enhanced traffic awareness these devices provide.

I also agree with you concerning the industry decision(s) to not provide TIS-B information without the ADS-B OUT. Zaon seems to have a good system that works. They have a similar situation when an aircraft does not have a transponder or has the transponder turned off. In those situations the Zaon will not "see" those aircraft. Even so, I would never consider the Zaon as unsafe because of that limitation. My eyeballs are still scanning the skies regardless.

look out for targets saturday

Better be looking for 3 targets on Sat at 8

uk_figs said:

Better be looking for 3 targets on Sat at 8

Click to expand...

Most definitely will be looking out for you guys showing up on the screen. May have to fly off in the distance to get away from the continual alarm of "**itching Betty".

Brantel said:

My opinion is that these manufacturers need to stop trying to use the argument that running a TIS-B receiver with no ADS-B out is somehow dangerous.

Nobody should be relying on any traffic avoidance system as their sole means or primary traffic avoidance method. NOBODY.....PERIOD.....

All traffic avoidance systems should only be used to augment EYEBALLS OUT THE WINDOW.

If this simple rule is followed, TIS-B with no ADS-B out can only improve the percentage of traffic that is spotted by the pilot. It should never degrade the pilot's ability as long as they are looking outside most of the time.

Just my opinion, worth what you paid for it....

Click to expand...

The manufacturers are merely letting everyone know that even though you may see some targets with these receivers, without the "ADS-B Out" function, you will be receiving incomplete traffic information (actual traffic around your aircraft may not be shown).

BTW, I love my TIS A traffic on my 696 and consider it an extremely valuable addition to safety. TIS B will be even better when fully implemented.

more ads-b receivers coming out

www.xgps170.dualav.com
www.sagetechcorp.com

Walt said:

The manufacturers are merely letting everyone know that even though you may see some targets with these receivers, without the "ADS-B Out" function, you will not receive accurate traffic information (actual traffic around your aircraft may not be shown).

Click to expand...

Inaccurate traffic information???

This is a given 100% of the time no matter what you have for traffic avoidance.

TIS-B did not create this deficiency. It exist in all traffic avoidance systems. None of them guarantee 100% coverage of all threats.

See and avoid first!

Brantel said:

Inaccurate traffic information???

This is a given 100% of the time no matter what you have for traffic avoidance.

TIS-B did not create this deficiency. It exist in all traffic avoidance systems. None of them guarantee 100% coverage of all threats.

See and avoid first!

Click to expand...

I guess "incomplete traffic" would have been a more accurate description.

I'm not sure how much traffic you have in your area, but in the DFW metroplex I generally have no less than a half a dozen targets on my display to "look" for. Most of them I never see with the old eye balls

At closure rates typically of 200-300 mph, even knowing where to look (direction & altitude) I can't see the traffic, but I can still avoid them by altering course or altitude.

If "see and avoid" was the answer to midair's we wouldn't need the technology, obviously it's not, and we do.

Eyeballs and ads-b/tis....

Walt said:

If "see and avoid" was the answer to midair's we wouldn't need the technology, obviously it's not, and we do.

Click to expand...

Well said, Walt. It's an important tool to use along with eyeballs. The warranty on my eyeballs has expired

Look,

I am not saying traffic avoidance systems are bad, just the opposite. I have a Zaon XRX in my plane and love it. I will have FIS-B in my new panel.

Love the technology and yes it helps greatly.

This is not the point I was trying to communicate. I was talking about how some of the manufactures are incorrectly using the limitations of FIS-B in their marketing. All traffic systems have limitations and that is the point I was trying to make.

Brantel said:

Look,

I am not saying traffic avoidance systems are bad, just the opposite. I have a Zaon XRX in my plane and love it. I will have FIS-B in my new panel.

Love the technology and yes it helps greatly.

This is not the point I was trying to communicate. I was talking about how some of the manufactures are incorrectly using the limitations of FIS-B in their marketing. All traffic systems have limitations and that is the point I was trying to make.

Click to expand...

A friend loaned to me a small portable Zaon for the trip from Missouri to Oregon last November, I was amazed at the traffic it reported.

ADS-B will be great, but it is expensive to go in and out. The government can not afford a new radar system so ADS-B is the answer with the consumer paying for most of it.