[time-nuts] Fwd: FAASafety.gov - General Information "Terminationof 121.5...

[SAIDJACK at aol.com]

In a message dated 9/7/2007 17:17:20 Pacific Daylight Time, k3xs at arrl.net  
writes:

>Truthfully, although as a private pilot upgrading to a more modern  ELT
>beacon will eventually cost me money personally, the advantages of  the
>new systems are overwhelming.

>The VHF ELT system was  fine for its time, but its time is long past.
>It doesn't have the same  excuse for continuing that LORAN does.



Well, there are some advantages to the older units as well: the old ELT's  
fire up on impact automatically. I rent planes from time to time, and I am  
pretty sure that the owners won't upgrade unless they are forced to by FAA  
regulations.

That means carrying a portable ELT with automatic engagement inside the  
aircraft. But if that one goes off inside the plane acting as a Faraday cage,  can 
it be sensed by the sats? Does it engage automatically if the pilot is  
incapacitated etc? Does it engage if it's buffered from the impact forces by the  
seats and pilot bag etc?
 
Also, the old ones allowed any pilot to partake in search and rescue. Now  
only professionals with special receivers can get the signal.
 
I am sure Steve Fossett right now would love to have one of those 20+  
volunteer private pilots looking for him pick up his 121.5MHz signal...
 
He probably even has one of those Breitling watches with the 121.5MHz  
transmitter built-in...
 
The solution to this would be to keep the old 121.5MHz units inside the  
aircrafts for volunteer air-patrol pickup, and to require all aircraft to have  
the new units installed as well, preferrably with GPS since a GPS receiver costs 
 less than $10 these days in mass production.
 
bye,
Said



************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com