121.5 ELTs going away

Skip Miller

Skip Miller

Final Approach
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Skip Miller
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The following is posted on the main page of ADDS:

"COSPAS-SARSAT will cease satellite monitoring of the 121.5 MHz frequency on February 1, 2009. If you fly an aircraft with an ELT, please visit www.sarsat.noaa.gov for further information. "

-Skip
 
So how much is this going to cost us?
 
Anthony said:
So how much is this going to cost us?
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From NOAA
Although the 406 MHz beacons cost more at the moment, they provide search and rescue agencies with more reliable and complete information to do their job more efficiently and effectively.
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Or more to the point they don't care. But the price should go down but not until after the 2009 date as the mfgrs will try to keep it high to ensure bigger profits.
 
The price of 406 ELTs has gone down from about $5000 when they first came on the market for airplanes in 1994 to about $2500 today. Expect perhaps another $1000 decrease in the next couple of years.

Now, the interesting thing about the changeover is that 121.5 ELTs suffer a false alarm rate of about 99 percent. In addition, my research has found that they actually work when needed only about 12 percent of the time. (What other airplane component would be allowed to be so unreliable?) Average triangulation time is about 18 hours. During one recent 3 year period I studied there were only 2 ELT-aided rescues in the continental US. I could only find 2 references EVER that implied that an airplane occupant survived the crash and died while awaiting ELT-guided rescue. For more, see http://www.avweb.com/news/safety/184213-1.html (A little dated now, but still raises the issues.)

The new design hopes to be faster and more reliable. But even so, I don't expect a big increase in "saves". Except among boaters, hikers and other outdoorsman. It's a boon to them.

For the record, I just had to buy a new ELT. I bought a 121.5 for less than $200. Frankly, I don't believe in them unless you're flying in remote areas, and then I'd put more stock in a personal locator beacon from a sporting goods supplier.
 
Isn't the cause of the high price because there is currently only one licensed manufacturer for the 406 ELT's?
 
Ken Ibold said:
The price of 406 ELTs has gone down from about $5000 when they first came on the market for airplanes in 1994 to about $2500 today. Expect perhaps another $1000 decrease in the next couple of years.
--snip--

For the record, I just had to buy a new ELT. I bought a 121.5 for less than $200. Frankly, I don't believe in them unless you're flying in remote areas, and then I'd put more stock in a personal locator beacon from a sporting goods supplier.
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Found this a little less pain



Model: G406-2
Part #: 455-5004 This ELT operates on the latest search & rescue (SAR) frequency (406-025 MHz) as well as 121.5 & 243. Ready to connect to ELT to Nav interace allowing transmission of Lat/Long data. Full system.
Used Pricing New Pricing Outright N/A | $1,444.00 Exchange N/A |
 
Well, they're giving three years to plan for the change over. That hopefully will lessen the pain somewhat.

I'm curious whether these new models are much lighter than the old one?
 
Greebo said:
I'm curious whether these new models are much lighter than the old one?
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Artex ME406 weighs 2 pounds. Pains Wessex makes a portable one with internal GPS that weighs 9 oz.
 
Greebo said:
Well, they're giving three years to plan for the change over. That hopefully will lessen the pain somewhat.

I'm curious whether these new models are much lighter than the old one?
Click to expand...

My guess is the battery is the heaviest part.
 
Greebo said:
Well, they're giving three years to plan for the change over. That hopefully will lessen the pain somewhat.

I'm curious whether these new models are much lighter than the old one?
Click to expand...

My ELT batter is up next summer and I am trying to decide if I should upgrade to a 406 MHz unit or a new batt which will get me to 2009. So far I have not seen any talk about requiring them but it'll probably happen.
 
Ken, what's your opinion on the handheld personal locators w/gps? I've been thinking about getting one because we don't have an ELT in the helicopter (oddly, they're not required in anything to my knowledge besides airplanes).
 
RotaryWingBob said:
Ken, what's your opinion on the handheld personal locators w/gps? I've been thinking about getting one because we don't have an ELT in the helicopter (oddly, they're not required in anything to my knowledge besides airplanes).
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Not Ken but..

I think they are great as long as you understand how they work.

You have to be conscious and able to activate it. You extend an antenna and push a button, sometimes two at the same time. Hard with one hand.

The GPS gets it signal when you activate, not before. So if the antenna is obstructed it may not get coordinates. It will still send the distress signal with you ID.

And of course, it has to survive the crash and be within reach.
 
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So no more monitoring of ELTs with your vhf comm?
Sometimes I think I am the first to hear them, I reported once coming out of ELP last night. Apprch wanted to know if it was getting stronger later on, it wasn't which tells me they knew nothing of it.
 
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