Duncan Aviation's market research team recently released updated numbers and found that although the FAA's deadline for upgrading business aviation aircraft to Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) is 16 weeks away, 23 per cent of the US-registered business jet fleet, that is 3,384 aircraft, still don't comply.

“At this rate, we anticipate that at least 1,660 business jets will not be in compliance when the calendar flips to 1 January, 2020,” says manager of satellite operations Matt Nelson. And according to company data, even fewer turboprops will be equipped. The report, which is based on data from Duncan Aviation's proprietary customer database, the FAA and other industry sources, states that 49 per cent of turboprop aircraft are not yet in compliance and that more than 3,800 of them will still need ADS-B upgrades at the beginning of 2020.

“I encourage operators who are not in compliance yet to consider investing in the upgrade this year,” adds Nelson. “Right now, we still have some availability at some of our satellite shops for ADS-B work and can turn aircraft in less than 10 days.”

Because the company holds or has access to 42 supplemental type certificates (STCs) for FAA-approved ADS-B equipment for more than 100 models, Duncan Aviation can provide a path to certification for many different aircraft makes and models at its 27 satellite avionics shops or workaway locations.