ELT Requirements

[Keepitup]

Sorry, Just been checking on forum and found some interesting threads.

Reason for question, I have a machine with the 121/243 ELT fitted at Manu 2008, should this not have been the updated 406 ?
As the other frequencies are now not monitored.

Regards

Keepitup

[Scissorlink]

In New Zealand 406 beacons have a 87 percent failure rate :ugh:

[EN48]

With 121.5 no longer monitored, this ELT will be of relatively little use even if it functions in an accident. Even with a 406 MHz ELT, given the high failure rate you may not want to rely solely on this. Personal locator beacons (PLB) are now available for around $250 US, but require that someone survive in sufficient condition to operate it. Satellite trackers are now available at under $1000 US and these do not depend on aircraft based equipment to send an emergency alert. May be the best solution currently available. Given that all three can be had for less than the cost of a 406 MHz ELT a few years ago, it makes sense to combine them.

There was an accident here a few years ago in which a Lear Jet crashed in heavily wooded and somewhat mountainous, but not remote terrain. After the most extensive search in the history of the area the aircraft was not found. Two years later, the wreckage was found accidentally by hunters in the area. The aircraft did not have an ELT and was not required to. (Given the extreme crash damage, it is unlikely that an ELT would have survived and been functional.) The crew was killed on impact and a PLB would not have helped. The satellite tracker would likely have pinpointed the wreckage quickly.

[Max Contingency]

Keep it up - Your title was ELT requirements and I suspect that is also your question. On the UK register, I believe the answer depends on whether you are operating public transport (406 ELT required)or private (nil requirements). Also, your beacon was fitted before COSPAS/SARSAT stopped monitoring them in Feb 2009.

Don't be too upset though. You have to think of rescue beacons as doing two jobs: alerting people of your distress and helping to locate you. 121.5/243 was always a very poor method of alerting even before it ceased to be monitored by COSPAS/SARSAT but is still a very usefull method of locating you if you are in trouble. All UK rescue aircraft can home to these frequencies.

If you are UK registered, non public transport and you normally have comms with somebody when you fly (in other words, some method of alerting people to your problem) then a 121.5/243 beacon is more than you are required to have and probably as much as you need.

[Keepitup]

Hi Max,

Thanks for that, but reading ICAO (or AINONLINE), the requirements were changed to, Public Transport > 19 pax requiring 2 x 406 and for Public Transport <19 pax / Private transport requiring 1 x 406, for international flights. (Our helicopter flies over the alps alot)

Surely EASA complies with ICAO ?
Do you know if it is stated in EASA Regs ? or JAR-OPS ?

Also, do some countries not require you to have a 406 fitted ?

Sorry for the questions, but looking on forums and getting different info.
According to Cospas/Sarsat, this was being phased out since 2000 and therefore allowing people to comply with new regs by Feb 2009.

Regards

Keepitup

[Max Contingency]

I am not aware of the content of AINONLINE.

My information is for Public Transport is from JAROPS 3 (prescribes the requirements applicable to the operation of any civil helicopter for the purpose of commercial air transportation by any operator whose principle place of business is in a JAA Member State.) in which 3.820 requires you to have an ELT capable of transmitting on 121.5/406.

My information for Private Flight comes from the UK ANO, General Exemption 854 dated 28 Apr 11
The Civil Aviation Authority, in exercise of its powers under Article 242 of the Air Navigation Order 2009, hereby exempts any aircraft flying for purposes other than Public Transport or Commercial Air Transport, registered in the United Kingdom, from therequirement to carry emergency locator transmitters

[Keepitup]

Max

Much appreciated:ok:

Keepitup