Emergency Locator Transmitter

[Cole5Oh5]

The actual NPRM was posted in 2009. It hasn't been published as law yet.
It's become a big deal, because people finally noticed it.

The rule says units that transmit on 121.5 will be illegal. That would make all the dual/triple frequency units illegal. Like Mexicans.

Pay attention people. It will become law, and probably not be enforced. Like so many things. There are units that can not ship, and the manufacturers are probably firing up their lobbyist, like AOPA, to keep you from spending money you should have spent a year ago.

The units that hook up to your GPS sound cool. If you crash, and all the power goes out, what kind of GPS information will your ELT transmit?? Duh, NONE. So, go spend the bucks to have it coupled to your GPS, and unless you turn it on in the air, you just flushed your money down the tube. Your better off buying a package of life savers. Carry them in your pocket.

[Learjetter]

Thread bump:

Discovered a Pointer 3000 series (121.5/243.0 MHz) ELT installed in the aircraft.
Read about how all the cool kids are getting into the 406 MHz ELTs. Looked at a couple on aircraftspruce, then thought I’ll ask this group what they’re using.

What ELT did you install, if any?

-J

[cartrm]

Mine has an Artex ME406. I bought my airplane from a commercial operator, and Canada already requires 406 ELTs in commercial aircraft. The requirement for 406s in private aircraft has been passed, but not yet brought into force.

My last airplane had an ACK 406 in it, and we had nothing but problems with it. Had to go back to the factory for repair, they screwed up the repair so it didn't work when we got it back. Sent us a replacement part, sent the wrong part. Had to go back to the factory again. Seems there's a reason they're priced cheap.

[JAG]

I just installed the ACK E-04. Decision to go ACK was partly price and my history with brand. I have installed ACK's in other aircraft in the past and they have stood up well, easy to install and batteries are not expensive. Testing is all done in the field. I have heard that they may not be as high quality, but I have never had issue with them, and personally, I only have an ELT to be legal. I think ELT's are useless pieces of kit; majority of accidents they become disconnected from antenna (the brackets for all of them are useless), are consumed by fire or go underwater. I know I might be stirring a hornets nest here, but I have done years of research on them and lost friends to accidents where the ELT did not function. Save your money on the purchase of your ELT, and invest the money you save in a satellite tracking device for emergencies and flight following.
Jeff

[Kim Geyer]

Artex 345. Looked at the ACK but they needed to many batteries. 1 for the ELT, 1 for the remote, and 1 for the buzzer