jcjeant wrote:-
On many ships I sailed .. those devices were "really automatic" .. as when they contacted water they begin to send signal with no human intervention necessary ... (no need to activate any ON-OFF switch)
The Fixed Automatic ELT can be activated manually from the cockpit, and automatically following an impact where the forces exceed 5g for at least 11 milliseconds in any vector and plane. A float-free, or an ejectable ELT/EPIRB/GEPIRB is currently just a dream!
The aircraft was also fitted with portable ELTs, but they were for use in survivable situations and required manual activation.
Note: The big problem seems to be how to detect when a crash is imminent, and the costs involved with retro-fitting approved devices. Your marine environment float-free with water activation EPIRB, needs to be packaged differently for use in an aeronautical environment for obvious reasons.
mm43