ELTs

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Roger, Roger

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Looks like the FCC wants the 121.5 ELTs to go away faster than previously expected...
http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/FCCBans1215ELTs_202760-1.html

AvWeb said:
The Federal Communications Commission took the general aviation world by surprise when it said in a recent report it will prohibit the sale or use of 121.5 MHz emergency locator transmitters, effective in August. The Aircraft Electronics Association said it just learned of the new rule today, and has begun working with the FAA, FCC and others to allow for timely compliance without grounding thousands of general aviation aircraft. The 121.5 ELTs are allowed under FAA rules. The FCC said its rules have been amended to "prohibit further certification, manufacture, importation, sale or use of 121.5 MHz ELTs." The FCC says that if the 121.5 units are no longer available, aircraft owners and operators will "migrate" to the newer 406.0-406.1 MHz ELTs, which are monitored by satellite, while the 121.5 frequency is not. "Were we to permit continued marketing and use of 121.5 MHz ELTs ... it would engender the risk that aircraft owners and operators would mistakenly rely on those ELTs for the relay of distress alerts," the FCC says. AOPA said today it is opposed to the rule change.
"The FCC is making a regulatory change that would impose an extra cost on GA operators, without properly communicating with the industry or understanding the implications of its action,” said AOPA Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Rob Hackman. "There is no FAA requirement to replace 121.5 MHz units with 406 MHz technology. When two government agencies don’t coordinate, GA can suffer." The AEA said dealers should refrain from selling any new 121.5 MHz ELTs "until further understanding of this new prohibition can be understood and a realistic timeline for transition can be established."
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Granted, 406 is faaar superior, but yikes, way to spring it on us FCC...
 
I think prohibiting the use of them is a little over the top, but certainly in favor of preventing the sale of them.
 
It's a huge step in the right direction! There's most likely going to be backlash from all those GA pilots waiting till the last minute to switch saying there is not enough time. But personally, I'm glad there is more definite movement now in writing, instead of more talks.

On a side note, anyone know a ballpark figure of how much it is to switch to the new 406s?
 
TallFlyer said:
I think prohibiting the use of them is a little over the top, but certainly in favor of preventing the sale of them.
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:yeahthat:So if I happen to have an old 121.5 ELT in my baggage and my plane goes down does that mean the FCC is going to come arrest me? Hey if they do that means they have found the wreck and are taking me to civilization so I don't think I will care that much about the consequences.
 
JulietBravo said:
It's a huge step in the right direction! There's most likely going to be backlash from all those GA pilots waiting till the last minute to switch saying there is not enough time. But personally, I'm glad there is more definite movement now in writing, instead of more talks.

On a side note, anyone know a ballpark figure of how much it is to switch to the new 406s?
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http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/avpages/aircraftspruceelt.php
Here is one going for $1,360.
 
If nothing else it will keep the confused air patrol from crashing into each other with their witching wands.

We dont have the official 406's, but we have satellite trackers with an emergency button in all our planes. one press and it goes to a call center who forwards the call to the appropriate agency. I'll take that over an ELT any day.
 
From how I understand it it wont force any costs on owners because we arent required to install the 406 to replace the 121.5. How I understand it right now is in august we can just tear them out the planes and fly around with nothing if we so choose to.
 
Inverted25 said:
From how I understand it it wont force any costs on owners because we arent required to install the 406 to replace the 121.5. How I understand it right now is in august we can just tear them out the planes and fly around with nothing if we so choose to.
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That doesn't make sense. An ELT is required under part 91. Last time I checked the FCC had no jurisdiction over the FARs, so I don't see how they could do anything that would change the regs.
 
N18040 said:
That doesn't make sense. An ELT is required under part 91. Last time I checked the FCC had no jurisdiction over the FARs, so I don't see how they could do anything that would change the regs.
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Just has to be placarded that the ELT has been removed.
 
Now I'm confused I may be wrong on my first post and I'm just too lazy to look it up right now. I been flying gliders alot lately and they dont need them so maybe i'm just mixing airplane and gliders rules together now. Someone want to clear this up if we need to replace the ELT in the cherokee by august?
 
Inverted25 said:
Now I'm confused I may be wrong on my first post and I'm just too lazy to look it up right now. I been flying gliders alot lately and they dont need them so maybe i'm just mixing airplane and gliders rules together now. Someone want to clear this up if we need to replace the ELT in the cherokee by august?
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Most gliders are not certified with an electrical system, thus they do not require ELT's/Transponders.

If you plane on flying your Cherokee X-Country you are going to need a 406Mhz ELT.
 
Well the 121.5 is prohibited from use, but you are not required to have a 406. So fly around with the 121.5 until the FAA says you can't and if you crash, use it anyways. That last thing that will matter is the fcc.

This would all be legal up until you crash. Then you can just tell them, it was you on the radio making those sounds.

Besides, it's not like they need the bandwidth for something else. It's still in our com range.
 
N18040 said:
:yeahthat:So if I happen to have an old 121.5 ELT in my baggage and my plane goes down does that mean the FCC is going to come arrest me? Hey if they do that means they have found the wreck and are taking me to civilization so I don't think I will care that much about the consequences.
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They wont be coming for you anymore.
 
N18040 said:
That doesn't make sense. An ELT is required under part 91. Last time I checked the FCC had no jurisdiction over the FARs, so I don't see how they could do anything that would change the regs.
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They are in charge of frequency usage. the FAR says when you need an ELT, the FCC says ELT's are no longer allowed to transmit on 121.5MHz... simple as that. The FAR doesn't change at all.
 
N18040 said:
That doesn't make sense. An ELT is required under part 91. Last time I checked the FCC had no jurisdiction over the FARs, so I don't see how they could do anything that would change the regs.
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That's been my question.

Seems to me like the FAA will have to change the FAR's to make this happen.
 
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