A skinflint Bonanza owner we know recently pulled us up short with this question: Why pay XM Radio and WSI for weather in the cockpit when you can get it for free through the FAA’s emerging ADS-B datalink system?

Good question. It merits another in reply: How long are you willing to wait? ADS-B has been in the breadboard stage for most of the past two decades, it works, everyone thinks it’s a terrific idea and, essentially, it doesn’t exist. Or at least it doesn’t exist to the extent that a buyer can make an intelligent purchase decision. Here’s the story so far. …