Sat, Aug 13, 2005
Cospas-Sarsat Wants To Switch Over To 406 MHz
The FAA Wednesday issued a NOTAM
announcing plans to end satellite processing of emergency locator
transmitter (ELT) distress signals broadcast over 121.5 MHz and 243
MHz on February 1, 2009. This comes at the request of the
Cospas-Sarsat program, an international search and rescue program
that uses satellite-aided tracking, and is part of a transition to
406-MHz ELTs whose signals provide more information with greater
accuracy than the current ELTs.
"AOPA recognizes the benefits of the 406-MHz ELT but opposes any
attempt to force pilots to upgrade. The unit alone costs about
$1,000, with installation adding more to the cost. So the decision
whether to upgrade or to keep the 121.5-MHz system should be left
to the discretion of each aircraft owner," said Rob Hackman, AOPA
manager of regulatory and certification policy.
Aircraft owners and pilots should be aware that ELTs that
transmit on 121.5 MHz will still satisfy FAA requirements and be
legal after the transition date, but they will provide limited
assistance in the event of an accident because their signals will
no longer be received by a satellite. However, the FAA and the
Department of Defense will still monitor the frequency from the
ground and can initiate search-and-rescue operations.
Currently, only one company in the United States sells the
406-MHz ELT suitable for installation in aircraft. This advanced
ELT uses digital technology to transmit information specific to you
and your aircraft, including your GPS coordinates and personal
contact information.
Pilots who fly in mountainous terrain or unpopulated areas might
want to invest in the new equipment because their 121.5-MHz signal
might not be picked up by ground stations, thus delaying or even
preventing a search-and-rescue operation. But those flying in
populated areas might decide against the upgrade because it is more
likely someone will see them go down or that an air traffic control
facility will pick up the distress signal.
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