ELT or Personal Locator Beacon

[rainbird]

I know 10 years ago we were required to pack around a 5 lb brick that was installed in our airplanes. It was called a ELT. Has the FAA ever cought up with the times and allowed a personal Locater Beacon instead of an ELT?

[Av8r3400]

In this link (http://www.ameri-king.com/pdf/Frequently%20asked%20questions.pdf), from America-King, they say it isn't required to have an ELT in an experimental aircraft.

I'd say check with your FSDO or inspector to see what they say, to be sure.

[Av8r_Sed]

Nope, 14CFR 91.207

[t j]

Here's an ELT with a built in GPS that weighs 2 pounds including tray for less than $600. ARTEX ELT 345 GPS / 406 / 121.5 WITH WHIP ANTENNA http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/avpages/artex11-13989.php

[jrevens]

I believe that the only experimental aircraft that don't require an ELT, by regulation, are single-place.

[GuppyWN]

I haven't built/bought yet but when I do I will carry a SPOT personal locator.

[Esser]

The mandatory 406 is rearing it's head up here again. At least they have come down in price since the last time TC tried to mandate them. We squeaked away from that one. You only need them now in commercial AC and if operating in Northern Domestic Airspace.

I do have some friends in SAR and they say not having a 406 is a foolish mistake...so maybe i'l bite the bullet and get one.

[offroute]

My two cents on the PLB thing. As a former SAR instructor and past distributor of both SPOT and ACR 406 products I'd always recommend a 406 over the SPOT as your personal device unless your airplane is already equipped with a 406 ELT. I've done a lot of testing in various use scenarios and found it was relatively easy to put the SPOT in positions where a signal would not get out. You can mitigate that risk by always flying with a SPOT in tracking mode rather than relying only on a 911 broadcast once downed. At least you'd be leaving behind a trail of trackpoints that *might* point your rescuers the right direction.

[t j]

My ELT is an old 121.5 so I bought a ACR PLB not only to carry in the plane but also when hiking and snowshoeing. I go off trail in the back country a lot by myself.

The PLB is a compromise carried in the plane. I should get a 406 ELT too now that they have come down in price.

[PapuaPilot]

FYI the ARTEX 345 ELT does not have a built in GPS, it needs to get the data from an external GPS. The information on the home page of the product was unclear, but they answer it on the Q&A tab.

I put the ACK-04 406 ELT in my plane and it needs an external GPS signal. The price has really come down since I got mine. The price is $130 less then the Artex 345. They are comparable units and weights the same. I think the ACK's replacement battery is less expensive too.

I plan to fly with a SPOT. Since I have a 406 ELT I don't see any reason to have a PLB too. The SPOT will show my track and possibly the position in the event of an accident. The ELT will pinpoint my position within a few hundred feet if it activates with the last known GPS position.

[t j]

Oh crap. Thanks for the heads up. I was ready to by one. I guess I was so excited to see the Built in GPS I quit reading. Very deceptive advertising in my mind.


The ARTEX ELT 345 transmits on 406 MHz and 121.5 MHz frequencies while providing position accuracy thanks to the built-in GPS navigational interface.

For some reason I can't edit my misleading post above. Someome with more power than I needs to fix it so someone doesn't waste their money on one.

[PapuaPilot]

Correct, their wording is misleading. They say "built in GPS naviational interface" which means you need to have an external GPS inputing your position. It's not that hard to do, but it doesn't have a stand alone GPS. On my G3X system I used one of the RS-232 outputs and configured it to send the GPS lat/long data to my ACK-04 ELT.

Plan on spending about $1200 for one with a built in GPS. Kannad and E. L.T. brands have ones with an internal GPS.