Avionics compliance is no longer a 2020 deadline question — it is a buying-decision input every time a used aircraft changes hands.
ADS-B Out
FAA mandate since 2020. Every airframe transacting in 2026 should be compliant; the question is whether the installation passes the FAA Public Performance Report cleanly. NIC, NACp, and SIL fields are the ones to check — an installation that technically transmits but fails performance benchmarks will need rework.
FANS 1/A
Required for North Atlantic Tracks above FL290 and increasingly for routes through Asia-Pacific oceanic airspace. Used airframes shipped without FANS face $200-$600k of upgrade cost depending on platform.
CPDLC (Controller-Pilot Data Link Communications)
Operationally bundled with FANS for oceanic, also used in North American and European en-route DCL. Not all FANS installations include the data-link router needed for full CPDLC; verify both.
What to check at pre-buy
- Pull the FAA Public Performance Report for ADS-B Out within the last 30 days.
- Confirm FANS / CPDLC certification with OEM letter, not just installer paperwork.
- Check service bulletin currency on the avionics suite — lapsed bulletins are a buying-side risk.
- Quote any compliance gap before close. After close it is your bill.
An airframe one upgrade-cycle behind compliance is not a bargain unless the asking price clearly reflects the upgrade. Most do not.