new beacon

[billgates12345]

Does anybody know what progress is being made on the new 406Mhz Beacon, because 121.5 is going to be terminated in feb'09? Thanks.

[billgates12345]

Have you any more info on this beacon ?

What other beacons are on the market that are already approved ?

[TAC Queen]

The local shop do a very nice beacon sandwich
:\:uhoh::}

sorry long day

[Role1a]

The 406 will still have a 121.5 for homings.

R1a

[Stitchbitch]

Have you any more info on this beacon ?
It will be oblong, possibly green or yellow, with no voice facility and will allow aeroplanes / satellite to locate the 'survivior(s)'.

No, not realy.

[SAR_ Zipperhead]

406 MHz beacons are really not new. Marine EPIRBs have been using this technology for well over a decade.

The big change in Feb '09 is that aircraft ELTs must be upgraded to 406 from the archaic 121.5/243 style ELT. It is true the 406s have a side-band 121.5 for close in homing.

[A and C]

I was asking the same questions of my safety equipment servicing company just a few days back. Evidently some of the military equipment supply companys are looking at a modification to current equipment to take it to 406/121.5. At the moment the cost is unknown.

On the civil side he predicts a bit of a price war as the 406 introduction nears and advised me not to re-equip just yet as prices are likely to fall at the end of the year.

I am not a fan of the ELT that is fixed to the aircraft and have to say that I think that the UK CAA have taken the right line in not mandating them for private overwater flights, insted they have mandated that a PLB must be carried. The logic being that ELT will sink with the aircraft but a PLB will be attached to one of the crew (who hopefully is in the liferaft)

[Solid Rust Twotter]

Perhaps they should look at this system. At the very least you could eat it if you're stuck out in the kangene.....

Missing Aircraft - Pilots Navigate Blindly-Nigcomsat Boss

Vanguard (Lagos)

14 May 2008

Chinyere Amalu
Lagos

THE Managing Director (MD) of Nigeria Communication Satellite (NigComSat), Mr. Ahmed Rufai, an engineer has attributed the missing of the aircraft carrying three passengers and two pilots for over two months now to obsolete facilities in most Nigerian aircraft, saying that Nigerian pilots navigate blindly while flying.

He also pointed out that within one year NIGCOMSAT-1 was launched in-orbit, it has provided over 400 community Tele-centres nationwide with 79 currently being deployed.Responding to questions on why NIGCOMSAT Satellite could not dictate the whereabouts of the aircraft, yesterday in Abuja at the celebration to mark one year in-orbit of the NIGCOMSAT-1, Rufai said that there was supposed to be air band in all the aircraft that cover the whole world in aviation sector, adding that unfortunately most of Nigeria's aircraft do not have it.

His words, "the aircraft must carry transmitting device (156 mega bacons). This will enable the pilot to communicate to us through the satellite. If the aircraft in Nigeria can carry those bacons, they can communicate to NigComsat whenever there are emergencies.

"We have set up an infrastructure for the aviation sector, so that once the aircraft take off, we will monitor their movement in the air, right from the time they took off to the time they landed.

"In fact Nigerian pilots navigate blindly. They can only communicate within five kilometres, after they rook off and after that, they navigate without communication. We have highlighted all these to NEMA and aviation authorities, but because money is involved to get things right, they back off", he said.

On the gains of the Satellite after its launch, he said that it is currently carrying NTA, AIT, Emperion, Galaxy BACKBONE Pl and cyberspace with sales commitment to Defence Headquarters, Immigration and others.

He pointed out that the NIGCOMSAT has faced challenges which have hindered its marketers, adding that key amongst them were the long term agreements signed by potential customers with competitors thus limiting migration of NigcomSat-1.

He whoever, pointed out that the first payment of $256 million which was the cost the satellite commences next year with the payment of $46 million, adding that since NIGCOMSAT is 100 per cent owned by the Federal government, the payment should be made by the government.

On job creation for Nigerian youth through the satellite, he said that at least 10 people would be employed by each state, especially those that have engineering skills.

[Green Flash]

(156 mega bacons).

OK folks, jokes are now weapons free, do I hear an 'in hot'?
:}

[teeteringhead]

Strangely I got this letter the other day, with a Nigerian stamp ....

Please be sending your bank details to me at the Nigerian CAA, and I will transfer 406 Million Hertz (our local currency) into your account.

I do this because my late father is being the CAA Minister and I have the key to the chest in which he keeps all his Hertz. I must transfer them to a pilots bank account in the UK as you have more bacons than we do.......

Your fee for this transaction will be 121 and a half million Hertz.

Please also send bank card, pin number and photograph of Kate Winslett...

I am remaining your obedient servant ......

...do you think it could be genuine....:confused: