cynical_spar

This is not correct. There is no hard requirement for GPS nor anything that requires “something that transmits its location”. There is also no requirement for a flight plan or communication with ATC.

I can take off from an uncontrolled airport with no GPS, no transponder, no plan, and no radio and as long as I’m in the correct airspace I’m completely legal and within my right to do so.

There are some differences with these rules through out the world.

All commercial planes have it at this point. And most part 91 airplanes (General Aviation) have it at this point. Without ADSB you cannot fly in or near class A, B, or C airspace and must stay below 10,000 feet. Which largely makes having an airplane useless for most people.

There are still airplanes flying that have no electrical system but even then some of them have retrofitted a system.

We do, it’s called ADS-B. It’s required in class C, B, and A airspace. As well as in class E above 10,000 feet and within a mode C veil.

Unfortunately we have thousands of airplanes that do not have electrical power so it would be very difficult to require it everywhere within the US.

Yes, because there are usually no less then 4 separate ways to turn it off (AP disconnect, trim switch, circuit breaker(s), servo override) and this includes small GA airplanes. The autopilot does not fly the airplane on intuition. It flies based on the way the pilot programmed it, malfunctions are expected and trained for and memory items are required for quick disabling of malfunctioning systems.

I’m a pilot and airplane owner.