The Republic of China will postpone from December 31 this year to Dec. 31, 2019, compliance with ADS-B OUT equipment regulations within the Taiwan flight information region (FIR) above FL290, according to an aeronautical information publication supplement published last week by China’s air traffic services division.

China was forced to delay compliance because it became clear that there would be an insufficient number of aircraft appropriately equipped torender the ADS-B plan achievable. However, the new deadline for Taiwan essentially coincides with the Jan. 1, 2020 U.S. mandate for ADS-B OUT compliance. European ADS-B OUT mandate remains scheduled for June 7, 2020.

The Chinese air supplement also adds that aircraft are no longer required to have ADS-B OUT operational approvals by the state of registry. Equipment can be certified as either “meeting EASA AMC 20-24 or the standards of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority of Australia.” In addition, flight-planning company Flight Services Bureau reports that while aircraft technically need ADS-B to operate on B576 and B591 routes, “if ATC radar is functioning normally, that rule is also waived.”