After only a brief pause, we have resumed modifying the Rockwell Collins TDR-94/TDR-94D at our Lincoln, Nebraska, facility.
With the modification to the transponder, which can be performed only by Duncan Aviation’s Avionics Component Repair Shop or by the OEM, the TDR-94/TDR-94D meets the FAA’s mandate requiring aircraft to comply with the DO-260B standard for Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Out (ADS-B Out) by January 1, 2020.
We briefly suspended modifications while a software fix was developed to address a minor TSO-noncompliance communicated on October 25, 2018. More information can be found in a previous Duncan Intelligence article: https://www.duncanaviation.aero/intelligence/2018/November/rockwell-collins-sil-improve-reception-of-transponder-reply-to-ground-stations.
On November 13, Rockwell Collins received an FAA waiver for the TSO non-compliance and plans to release a SB (Service Bulletin) for the software fix by the end of December. For additional information, please reference Rockwell Collins Service Information Letter 523-0825796.
The recent software issue with the TDR-94/TDR-94D has no flight deck effect and in no way affects flight safety. The fix will be an optional SB that can be performed during a scheduled maintenance event or as a quick turn in the Duncan Aviation Avionics Component Repair Shop. There is no reason to put down an aircraft for this modification.
In addition to the software modification, our avionics component repair shop is able to perform the ADS-B modification on the Rockwell Collins TDR-94/TDR-94D transponders.
All of Duncan Aviation’s MRO facilities (Battle Creek, MI, Lincoln, NE, and Provo, UT) and 27 Satellite Avionics Shops and workaway stations are able to facilitate this software upgrade in conjunction with our Avionics Component Repair Shop.
As of Tuesday, November 13, the Avionics Component Repair Shop again began accepting Rockwell Collins TDR-94/TDR-94D transponders for modification for ADS-B.
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