Judging by the letters and calls we get on a regular basis, ADS-B continues to create head-scratching confusion. While shops report an increased interest in ADS-B retrofits, owners aren’t flocking to them in large numbers to have the work done.
While it’s easy to advocate a wait-and-watch approach to upgrades, it’s also easy to speculate that the January 1, 2020, ADS-B equipage mandate will be extended. There’s no evidence this will happen.
We do suspect that if you wait too long, you’ll risk paying higher labor costs for installation, as busier shops increase overhead to keep up with increased demand.