New 406 ELT expierence,,long

B

bahama flier

Pre-takeoff checklist
Joined
Jan 15, 2014
Messages
143
Location
Deland, Florida
Display Name
Display name:
bahama flier
I was required to install a new 406 ELT in my aircraft because it is the law for international flights. My old ELT one was giving me trouble with false activation anyway.

I purchased the new 406 ELT installed it, and purchased a new 406 PLB (portable hand held), and attached it to my raft. All is well I thought.

The wife and I were flying over Freeport Bahamas when I heard a noise in my radio, could not identify the source, but just in case I called Miami to see if my 406 ELT was activated. I was told , IT WAS activated.

I advised my location, destination, and please advise all concerned, I was in no danger and would report back when I landed. Reply was OK.

My wife, courageously crawled over seats and cargo to the ELT to turn it off, she did, crawled back to her front seat but the unit was still going off, so she went back on her slow journey to the ELT and checked to see that it was off, it was, so she disconnected the antenna. This was no easy task getting to the back of the plane and back to the front, over much cargo in a Cherokee Six.

We landed and I had a telephone handed to me from the Bahamas tower in Nassau, next I had a call from the Bahamas search and rescue, then a call from NOAA to verify it was my unit. I had to take the unit out of my aircraft and read back the ser number of my unit to satisfy them, I did then I got a call from the US Coast Guard, crap....

Got home to our apartment, a knock on the door, to call another Bahamian rescue unit, I did, went to take a nap I was tired..my cell phone rings and it is a Commander from the US Air Force, advising me my unit was still transmitting, even with no antenna and turned off,,, and Ordered TO MAKE IT SILENT. I PROMPTLY TOOK OUT THE BATTERIES.

With all the problems with a false activation, I feel secure that should I need help, someone out there is waiting to help.

The old ELT only transmit a radio signal to anyone that might be listening, but the 406 goes to the Satellite and many agency's monitors it.

If you fly, get the new 406 and a portable PLB to take with you. just me...
 
Do both the aircraft and personal units transmit?
Any possibility it could have been the personal unit? Or was the problem verified as resolved?
 
Good to know. Thanks for the post
 
All I learned from this anecdote, is to buy a PLB, don't install a 406 ELT on the aircraft. My wallet is happy with that course of action too.
 
The usual reasons these get activated are (1) hard landings, and (2) improper service or shipment. A surprising number of CAP ELT runs end up in maintenance hangars.

Are you SURE it went off all by itself?

"I'm in no danger" is not valid because you may not be able to issue a "yeah, there really is some danger" message.
 
My problem was a defective unit, but my PLB was important because no 406 will work under water, or in the middle of a fire, my PLB is waterproof and attached to my life raft, I would get a PLB before the 406 ELT so you can take it with you no matter, and my PLB is manual and does transmit location.

All units must be registered with NOAA, they also notify all rescue missions. (I also keep a portable VHF with my raft)
 
hindsight2020 said:
All I learned from this anecdote, is to buy a PLB, don't install a 406 ELT on the aircraft. My wallet is happy with that course of action too.
Click to expand...
Err .... for that strategy to be effective in getting you found, you must be in relatively undamaged condition/able to find and trigger the PLB after the crash. I carry a PLB but do not consider it to be a substitute for an ELT.
 
I got a 406 PLB recently when I started taking ~500nm trips. My ELT antenna is on the bottom of the airplane, and it's 60/40 it would get sheared off in a crash. My plan is to fire up the PLB before going down if possible.
 
bullwinkle said:
I got a 406 PLB recently when I started taking ~500nm trips. My ELT antenna is on the bottom of the airplane, and it's 60/40 it would get sheared off in a crash. My plan is to fire up the PLB before going down if possible.
Click to expand...
IMO it's worse than 60/40. The overall stat I've heard on ELTs is that they work in only about 60% of crashes. Dead batteries, antenna damage or underwater, didn't trigger, or too destroyed to function, ... are some of the reasons. So having such a vulnerable antenna probably pushes you to well under 50% probability of working.

If I were you I would seriously consider moving that antenna to the top of the airplane a bit forward of the vertical tail.
 
oldShar said:
Do both the aircraft and personal units transmit?
Any possibility it could have been the personal unit? Or was the problem verified as resolved?
Click to expand...

They are two independently functioning units. Once you activate a 406. The only way to deactivate it is to pull the battery.
 
airdale said:
Err .... for that strategy to be effective in getting you found, you must be in relatively undamaged condition/able to find and trigger the PLB after the crash. I carry a PLB but do not consider it to be a substitute for an ELT.
Click to expand...

Not me, I'm turning that sucker on preferably >2 minutes before going in. Nothing says you have to wait until stopping to activate it.
 
Henning said:
Not me, I'm turning that sucker on preferably >2 minutes before going in. Nothing says you have to wait until stopping to activate it.
Click to expand...
I expect to be quite busy and distracted during many of the emergencies that I can foresee. Not to mention the adrenaline dump and loss of small motor skills. While yours is a good goal I don't see success as a high probability at least for myself.
 
airdale said:
I expect to be quite busy and distracted during many of the emergencies that I can foresee. Not to mention the adrenaline dump and loss of small motor skills. While yours is a good goal I don't see success as a high probability at least for myself.
Click to expand...

Add it to your emergency checklist, you don't have to be limited to the POH version. Then practice using it in simulated emergencies. I agree probably won't happen by chance.
 
Alexb2000 said:
Add it to your emergency checklist, you don't have to be limited to the POH version. Then practice using it in simulated emergencies. I agree probably won't happen by chance.
Click to expand...
In theory there is no difference between theory and practice

Nice theory, though. Good luck with it.
 
airdale said:
In theory there is no difference between theory and practice

Nice theory, though. Good luck with it.
Click to expand...

It's not a theory. I've had an engine out and the things I practiced made a difference. Good luck just seeing what happens.
 
airdale said:
I expect to be quite busy and distracted during many of the emergencies that I can foresee. Not to mention the adrenaline dump and loss of small motor skills. While yours is a good goal I don't see success as a high probability at least for myself.
Click to expand...

You've never been in a real emergency huh? It's not like that, besides if you can't remember to push a button, you are probably a freeze reactor which means you're most likely going to die anyway.
 
I would be interested to know which make/model of ELT experienced this issue. I think I've noted elsewhere my personal experience with a relatively-new (6 month old) Ameriking 406 ELT that created a "buzzing" noise from the remote panel switch area. It wasn't activated, just an electronic failure in the system.... but well could have led to dead batteries.

In talking to others, I'm certain that I'm not the only one that's had a problem with AK units. I'd be curious to know if this one is an AK or not.
 
Henning said:
You've never been in a real emergency huh?
Click to expand...
Not in 1000+ hours of airplane time, thankfully. Several on the race track, though, where the "time slows down" phenomenon helps but things still happen pretty fast. Hopefully I will find that you are correct if I ever have an emergency in an airplane. I'll still consider my PLB to be secondary to the ELT though.
 
airdale said:
Not in 1000+ hours of airplane time, thankfully. Several on the race track, though, where the "time slows down" phenomenon helps but things still happen pretty fast. Hopefully I will find that you are correct if I ever have an emergency in an airplane. I'll still consider my PLB to be secondary to the ELT though.
Click to expand...

Please, carry both, do not take anything I have said to be a construct of "Don't get an ELT, get a PLB instead." :no:. Most pilots balk at the price of an ELT but many will spring for a $250 G/PLB. Most though will rely on their cell phone.
 
Henning said:
Most pilots...will rely on their cell phone.
Click to expand...

This actually brings up a pretty interesting possibility for an app. Not saying it's all you should have, but a newer smartphone has GPS, decent battery life, accelerometer and network access.

It wouldn't work everywhere, but as another layer of safety, could an app be written which would sense a crash and transmit GPS position to rescuers? There are places you could be obscured from satellite view but within range of a cell tower.

False alerts and untrained users would be issues, but... ?
 
My unit is made by Ameri-King, it has a remote switch on my dash, so I can activate it before any perceived impact. It came with a short antenna so if time permits, it can be removed from aircraft and used portable with a short antenna.

In any event, I still feel safer with my portable unit attached to my raft, safety in numbers... but if you fly out of the country, you are required to have a 406 ELT, I don't believe the law distinguishes between portable or not, I just don't remember.

I don't fly among mountains, just water, so my preference is based on my flying areas, your area's are different I am sure.

I did mean to start a argument, each to his own, just wanted to share my experience with a 406 activation, it was only to let you know it is much preferred to the old ELT. If I splashed down in the ocean, I feel confident I would have a rescue in 1 hour or less.
 
PW_Plack said:
This actually brings up a pretty interesting possibility for an app. Not saying it's all you should have, but a newer smartphone has GPS, decent battery life, accelerometer and network access.

It wouldn't work everywhere, but as another layer of safety, could an app be written which would sense a crash and transmit GPS position to rescuers? There are places you could be obscured from satellite view but within range of a cell tower.

False alerts and untrained users would be issues, but... ?
Click to expand...

There s NOTHING except a 406 device that will alert the COPAS/SARSAT system, the ONLY dedicated SAR system there is. A PLB is <$300 with a world wide multi billion dollar network that we've already paid for and works extremely well. It makes NO SENSE to use anything else instead; in addition to, fine, instead is just plain stupid.
 
bahama flier said:
My unit is made by Ameri-King, it has a remote switch on my dash, so I can activate it before any perceived impact. It came with a short antenna so if time permits, it can be removed from aircraft and used portable with a short antenna.

In any event, I still feel safer with my portable unit attached to my raft, safety in numbers... but if you fly out of the country, you are required to have a 406 ELT, I don't believe the law distinguishes between portable or not, I just don't remember.

I don't fly among mountains, just water, so my preference is based on my flying areas, your area's are different I am sure.

I did mean to start a argument, each to his own, just wanted to share my experience with a 406 activation, it was only to let you know it is much preferred to the old ELT. If I splashed down in the ocean, I feel confident I would have a rescue in 1 hour or less.
Click to expand...

A required ELT is just that, an ELT, EPIRBs and PLBs don't meet the requirement even though they all work the same system. It has to have the shock trigger to be an ELT.
 
bahama flier said:
My unit is made by Ameri-King, it has a remote switch on my dash, so I can activate it before any perceived impact. It came with a short antenna so if time permits, it can be removed from aircraft and used portable with a short antenna.
Click to expand...

Given my experience and that of others I've heard about, it appears that AmeriKing has some design and/or manufacturing issues. And, according to the avionics shop, they are also non-responsive on a customer service basis. Indeed, my AmeriKing unit went back to Spruce for an exchange. I do not look forward to an issue like you had, but I suspect I was not far from same given the symptoms.

I'm fine with 406 equipment, but I'd sure like it to be of the quality and ruggedness of the old 121/243 stuff.
 
wsuffa said:
Given my experience and that of others I've heard about, it appears that AmeriKing has some design and/or manufacturing issues. And, according to the avionics shop, they are also non-responsive on a customer service basis. Indeed, my AmeriKing unit went back to Spruce for an exchange. I do not look forward to an issue like you had, but I suspect I was not far from same given the symptoms.

I'm fine with 406 equipment, but I'd sure like it to be of the quality and ruggedness of the old 121/243 stuff.
Click to expand...
I'm thinking all the manufacturers may have struggled a bit with the 406 units.

I committed to the ACK unit during my build and watched them struggle for over a year to begin shipping a product that they had already built and had to hold onto as inventory until various regulatory issues had been worked out. Fortunately they delivered in time for my first flight but 2 years later I had a false alarm due to a problem with moisture getting to an audio module. The one thing that is impressive is the response. If I had been in an accident, I'm pretty confident it would have been responded to quickly.

The combination of new technology and a challenging global regulatory environment may be causing some hiccups. But GPS, satellite, and lithium battery technology is giving us a better product.
 
PW_Plack said:
This actually brings up a pretty interesting possibility for an app. Not saying it's all you should have, but a newer smartphone has GPS, decent battery life, accelerometer and network access.

It wouldn't work everywhere, but as another layer of safety, could an app be written which would sense a crash and transmit GPS position to rescuers? There are places you could be obscured from satellite view but within range of a cell tower.

False alerts and untrained users would be issues, but... ?
Click to expand...
A lot of people don't realize this capability is built into the iPhone. Open the Apple Maps App.
On the bottom of the screen there is a square icon with an up arrow trough it. Tap the icon and you can text / email your current position. I do this all the time to let the family know where I am at when traveling.

And, no, I would not rely on this feature for an emergency. We just sprung for the 406Mhz elt.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top