My ADS-B Rebate Experience
This site is intended to describe a little about my ADS-B Out rebate experience, particularly the process of getting the FAA rebate. Here is the main FAA ADS-B Rebate page and starting point.
I pre-ordered the uAvionix skyBeacon Nov. 19th, 2018. I think it shipped in December, and I received it in late December or early January. I had it installed by my A&P/IA Dan Catherman (Flightcare) during my annual. My PA22-108 Colt has Whelen strobes, so the strobe pack had to be bypassed to send the switched 12v strobe line to the skyBeacon strobe line. That was accomplished through the Whelen strobe existing cable. The existing 12v nav lite wires were used to power the non-strobe portion of the skyBeacon. The wiring was straightforward, as was the configuration of the skyBeacon using the free phone app.
Rebate - First you need a rebate reservation. This has a code that you will need later to get the rebate. After you fly the validation flight, you will want 2 reports - The Public ADS-B Performance Report (PAPR) and the General Aviation Incentive Rebate Status (GAIRS). The GAIRS also has a code that you will need for the rebate. Thus you need 2 codes - One from the rebate reservation and one from the GAIRS after the validation flight.
Note that there are 2 URLs from which you can get a PAPR, but only one of these also supplies the GAIRS. You can get a PAPR anytime, in any airspace, at https://adsbperformance.faa.gov/paprrequest.aspx. However, for the rebate validation flight, you want the PAPR (and the GAIRS) from https://adsbrebate.faa.gov/PAPRRequest.aspx. Be sure you make the validation 30 minutes + flight in rule airspace. There are 3 parts to the GAIRS, and one of these specifically reports if you validated in rule airspace. Wait at least 30 minutes after the flight, and then request your report. Within 30 minutes of the request, you should receive an email with 2 attachments - the PAPR and GAIRS reports.
I had trouble finding sample PAPR and GAIRS reports to know what to expect. I have posted mine - see PAPR and GAIRS.
With perfect PAPR and GAIRS reports in hand along with the reservation code and the incentive code from the GAIRS report, I went to the appropriate link and submitted my info. Everything appeared good, and they said to expect an email. After a week or so, I was getting a little antsy and submitted a question via email to the rebate help email address. I then received an email back asking me for the uAvionix packing slip or other proof of what unit had been installed (view email). Fortunately I was able to submit the packing slip, and I am now waiting to hear back, hopefully that my rebate check is in the mail.
- 3/2/2019 - Validation flight - I flew in the CVG mode C veil for about 55 minutes. I did several 360 deg turns to the right and left and climbed and descended several times between 2,000 and 3,000 MSL. See the pertinent flight path here. Note, although my maneuvers were within the lateral bounds of the Bravo, I was below the Bravo airspace, and anywhere within the mode C veil should have qualified for the validation. In fact, the PAPR shows almost 55 minutes in rule airspace, and this corresponds exactly with a timer I had running the entire time I was within the mode C veil.
- 3/8/2019 - Emailed the uAvionix skyBeacon packing slip.
- 3/11/2019 - REBATE APPROVED! I received 2 emails today - First was automated and second was a reply to my submitting the packing slip for the skyBeacon. Depending on the email, the rebate check should arrive in 4-6 (or 8-10) weeks.
4/15/2019 - REBATE CHECK RECEIVED! Looks like the 4-6 weeks estimate was correct! :-) See accompanying letter here.