A two year old recommendation:
To quote the BEA final report on AF447, page 207:
"On the basis of this work, the BEA recommends:
that EASA and ICAO study the possibility of making mandatory, for
aeroplanes making public transport flights with passengers over maritime
or remote areas, the activation of the emergency locator transmitter
(ELT), as soon as an emergency situation is detected on board."
Source:
http://www.bea.aero/docspa/2009/f-cp...p090601.en.pdf
Has this recommendation been implemented in any form since the release of the AF447 final report?
Seems to me that it could have simply been added to an emergency check list for aircraft fitted with an automatic fixed ELT and associated control panel in the cockpit.
Another thing I've noticed in this CNN video and related article:
Why didn't Flight 370's emergency beacon work? - CNN.com
The video only explains why an ELT would not work but does not mention how an ELT can be switched from ARMED to ON in the cockpit (provided the control panel is installed) although the accompanying article does mention this possibility.
The mods deleted my earlier post dealing with this subject and wonder why?
Without drawing any conclusions about the reason the plane was lost (mechanical or criminal intent) the question remains:
Why, with the automatic fixed ELT installed in 9M-MRO and provided that the control panel was installed, was it not switched to ON in the hours after it deviated from its original flight plan?
In case of a mechanical single point of failure regarding all the other communication systems located in the center pedestal, the ELT would have been the last option to "communicate" with the switch normally located on the overhead panel in a B777.