What ELT do you use?

[Tom-D]

Hey I meant to post this earlier....with the new 406 elt, how will the A+P do the annual test if we have no way to 'listen out' like we did with 121.5? (do they even produce an audible tone?) Or did anyone with the bright idea even consider this problem?? How do we know if it has accidentally activated, we used to be able to monitor. Does it have a flashing light or something??

This brings up a very good question:

Where do you gain authorization to use a TSO-126 ELT? (406 ELT)

91.207 requires you to carry the TSO-C91A (121.5-243)

There has been no updating of FAR 91.207 to reflect the new ELTs, Our only saving grace is that most of the new TSO-126 ELTs incorporate both types of ELTs.

the test is the same as before, only the new ELTs will produce 4 phone calls to prove the impact switch works.

You will hear the 121.5 side go off, and you can re-set it, but the people are already dialing the emergency numbers you have registered.

You'll know it works.

 

[weilke]

According to the spec's I read, 406MHz ELTs transmit one bust at turn-on and repeat it every 50 seconds not every couple seconds.

Well it seems to work even with the 50s interval. Pretty nifty setup. The DF knows that there won't be another burst for 50 seconds so it listens for 121.5 and 243 in between. It has this flower-pot looking array antenna and just keeps the bearing of the last blip until the next one comes in. The Box even reads the GPS position (if the ELT/EPIRB/PLB is able to provide one).


http://www.nhwgcap.org/ops/BeckerManual.pdf

2.3.3 Scanning mode when bearing Cospas/Sarsat signals
The Cospas/Sarsat signal on 406,025 MHz is transmitted only every 50 secs. (pulse length ca. 400ms). When approaching to the transmitter it will be received (because of it’s transmitter power) earlier than the 121.500 MHz resp. 243.000 MHz continuous signal. However, a transmitter in the near range may be beared faster with a continuous signal. For this purpose in the scanning mode the 406 MHz pulse and, at the same time, two other emergency frequencies can be surveilled for a continuous signal. This function can be activated by switching in the time span (5 to 45 secs.) between two Cospas/Sarsat pulses to the other emergency frequencies. If there is a signal received, the frequency will be held till its end, otherwise frequency will be changed after 45 secs. to the
Cospas/Sarsat frequency and it will be waited for the next pulse. The active frequency is displayed bottom right.
The scanning mode is possible with the frequencies: 406,025 MHz Û (121,500 MHz and 243,000 MHz) or the respective training frequencies. Timer > LS: --:-- always displays time span since last received CP-Sarsat pulse signal (406,025 MHz) Frequency display in scanning mode: Scanning mode, switched to second scan-frequency (active

 

[flyingcheesehead]

Ted, Lance, et al who were waiting for the ACK E-04 - It has FINALLY been approved! Hooray!

http://www.ackavionics.com/406 Page.html

January 26th 2011

Wow, I wondered when/if we would ever be able to say it....but we are fully approved! Today we received the official certificate. We are doing all of the final ordering this week, and we need to program the ELT's with our certification numbers we just received. The ELT's should be shipping by mid/late February. Thanks for your patience.

 

[ScottM]

My annual is due next month and so is my ELT batt. But based on this latest news and the backorders for the 406MHz unit, I am just going to put in a new battery and wait two more years and then consider the 406MHZ unit.

But good news!!

 

[Ted]

Definitely good news! I'm due for batteries now, so I'll probably just do those and wait a bit longer for the backorders and prices to go down.

 

[gismo]

Ted, Lance, et al who were waiting for the ACK E-04 - It has FINALLY been approved! Hooray!

http://www.ackavionics.com/406 Page.html

Yep. I saw that earlier today and ordered one from an online vendor. They emailed me back and said it wasn't available yet and suggested I purchase an alternative unit (for more money of course). I'm in no big hurry, my annual is due in May and I'd like to install it then.

 

[TMetzinger]

I fly with whatever's in the airplane, and my ACR 406 PLB on me.

 

[Ddayle]

Our club, Valley Fliers, has installed new 406 ELT's in all four planes. Dave

 

[rpadula]

Definitely good news! I'm due for batteries now, so I'll probably just do those and wait a bit longer for the backorders and prices to go down.

Since when does that ever happen in aviation?

 

[flyingcheesehead]

They say the E-04 will accept GPS data from Garmin, Bendix/King, or NMEA 0183 - Does anyone know if the Apollo GX55 (now owned by Garmin) has an NMEA 0183 output? I can't find anything definitive.

 

[rpadula]

They say the E-04 will accept GPS data from Garmin, Bendix/King, or NMEA 0183 - Does anyone know if the Apollo GX55 (now owned by Garmin) has an NMEA 0183 output? I can't find anything definitive.

Kent,

I know my GX60 had an RS-232 serial port on it. I just did a quick Google, and from what I found, the GX55 has the same. It doesn't look like the GX55 outputs NMEA, though. You'd probably have to check with ACK to see if this unit will accept the GX55's data out format. The install docs on the ACK site indicate it will accept 9600 bps serial data...

http://static.garmin.com/pumac/GX55IFRGPS_GX55Installation.pdf

 

[denverpilot]

The old saw goes like this:
PLBs are for Search & Rescue
ELTs are for Search & Recovery

The ELT was squawking away at the latest Colorado crash site that was fatal. It significantly accelerated human remains recovery operations after the blizzard stopped blowing.

Chasing ELTs since 1991. The only one with a live person at the other end was a aircraft that crashed flat as a pancake at night into the Pawnee National Grasslands. Pilot and passenger had no shoulder harnesses or they might have crawled out. Both had legs broken. Pre-cell phone days. Today they would have been able to dial 911 from there.

Mountain crashes are going to typically not have cell coverage but are also infinitely less survivable up front. Back seat pax have a bad habit of leaving the aircraft and wandering a mile or so away in deep snow until they succumb to hypothermia even on summer nights.

The rest were all on ramps or in hangars where I was usually the one succumbing to hypothermia waiting on the typical airport authority to find contact info for the hangar to get it opened up to turn the blasted thing off.

Seriously considering a SPOT here in "continuous" mode for mountain flying. And enough people who know the login to get the data to the Mission Coordinator/Incident Commander if I haven't shown up at the appointed time.

Second place would be a 406 EPIRB with GPS.

A distant third to count on would be the ELT, either 121.5 or 406. 406 without GPS is still many hours of survival testing (training is over and the test begins once you crash) before anyone shows up looking for you.

One night out overnight in the high-country 25 miles west of my house, improperly dressed, without shelter, you're dead. In the summer. In the winter, quicker.

 

[Ted]

Since when does that ever happen in aviation?

Good point. It definitely won't go down quickly.

However, the avionics stack in my Aztec is nicely equipped using previous-gen equipment. I'm happy that way. Didn't spend a ton of money on equipment, but got something fully functional and reasonably priced (for non-traditional definitions of the word "reasonable").

 

[Bob Noel]

Since when does that ever happen in aviation?

I don't know... the value of my aircraft has gone down. I probably couldn't get what I paid for it in 1994 even allowing for the number of hours flown (never mind recovering any of the improvements)

:-(