Coronavirus: extended deadline to equip planes with surveillance technology

The coronavirus crisis has made it necessary to reconsider the upcoming 7 June 2020 deadline to equip aircraft with Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B). This surveillance technology makes it possible to periodically broadcast aircraft information, such as identity, speed or position, derived from on-board systems (e.g. determined via satellite), thus enabling the aircraft to be tracked from the ground for surveillance purposes. This technology modernises ground surveillance systems, with the potential to rationalise the European radars network.

As a relief measure to airlines, the Commission amended Regulation 1207/2011 on 29 April 2020 in order to postpone this deadline by 6 months, to 7 December 2020. In addition to the transition period introduced in the amended Regulation, this change will provide aircraft operators that had planned to retrofit their aircraft between now and June, more time to do so, or to put in place an appropriate retrofit programme.

Details on the revised mandate for the ADS-B technology can be found at: https://ads-b-europe.eu/

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/587 of 29 April 2020 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1206/2011 laying down requirements on aircraft identification for surveillance for the single European sky and Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1207/2011 laying down requirements for the performance and the interoperability of surveillance for the single European sky