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I would not be a bit surprised if it’s illegal to replace the battery yourself with Amazon-sourced cells. I have no idea. But I would be very surprised if doing so ever resulted in denial of an insurance claim. I mean, maybe if the battery caught fire and burned up the airplane after you tampered with it? Otherwise, what’s the rationale for denying a claim?
When I replaced mine (Artex), I bought the replacement battery off Amazon (best price) in November 2021. It was OEM, came as a module, and was $280. I note that it's now $349 on Amazon. sigh...
Holy frijoles!!
“Hello NORAD? Yes, it’s me again. No, as with all the other occasions, there wasn’t any reason it went off….”As much as I hate to, I changed mine to maintain TSO.
I think the percentage of ELT activations that are false alarms remains sky high. I’ve certainly done my part. I’ll resist the urge to make yet another crack about ACK.
From what I've read the 406 works better when it works. But there are still lots of failed activations and false alarms. Had a false alarm the other day and the tower had everyone checking their AC. It was a local certified twin that had been parked for several hrs that had gone off.
Back in the 121.5 days, despite 14 ELT missions, I never once got one that was an actual airplane mishap. The most common scenario was tracking some guy that had thrown his ELT in the trunk of his car....those were hard to track down. Don't get me wrong though...nothing better than flying around on the Air Force's dime.I think the percentage of ELT activations that are false alarms remains sky high. I’ve certainly done my part. I’ll resist the urge to make yet another crack about ACK.
I just had my biennial VFR Transponder check (in the US). The owner of the Repair Station did the check and we chatted about the PAPR replacing the VFR Transponder check. He said the PAPR does virtually everything he does … except the official Repair Station sign off. He did volunteer (and reminded me) that pilots have been allowed to do the required IFR VOR checks and log them forever. Remember VOTs?
From what I’ve read the 121.5 transmits an omnidirectional signal that has to be tracked down. The 406 MHz signal instantly connects with the GPS system and relays your position. That alone seems worth the price of admission.
Yes, I as well now have balaclava for the sun. As well I installed the sliding sunshade in my 9 to help. Big change as my whole life I was always in the sun unprotected and I never burnt. Anyway I probably have brought it onto my self according the the science. (maybe)I just had my biennial VFR Transponder check (in the US). The owner of the Repair Station did the check and we chatted about the PAPR replacing the VFR Transponder check. He said the PAPR does virtually everything he does … except the official Repair Station sign off. He did volunteer (and reminded me) that pilots have been allowed to do the required IFR VOR checks and log them forever. Remember VOTs?
So why not allow PAPRs in lieu of the biennial VFR Transponder checks??
When I suggested that he would probably lobby against using the PAPR in lieu of an official VFR Transponder check, he said, yes he probably would. He said it’s part of his bread and butter work. But I understand that other Repair Stations see VFR Transponder checks as a nuisance.
Thankfully, the FAA is not as Draconian about many skin cancer occurrences, especially uncomplicated local (skin only) Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) or Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) completely treated (excised, destroyed, or Mohs procedure) and resolved. Even some Melanoma's. I've had some BCC's and each time my AME was able to issue a Third Class Medical during my exam.
The FAA's policy on skin cancer: https://www.faa.gov/ame_guide/app_process/exam_tech/item40/amd/malignantmelanoma
And I don't wear this funny looking mask now for nothing!
Looks uncomfortable. Most plexiglass won't pass UV-B, and probably UV-A rays as well. The likelihood of basal cell or even squamous cell skin cancer (which are relatively trivial), let alone melanoma, is likely to be quite low.
The standard vans canopy used to be regular plexiglass with an optional upgrade to a UV blocking one. When I ordered the finishing kit for my 7 a couple of years ago I wanted to pony up for the UV blocker and was told that it was the standard one included with every finishing kit now. For the RV7 it's part number SC-15
No problem.
The GPS signal is optional and is NOT use on all 406 ELT installations. I do NOT have the GPS signal run to my 406 ELT as it is optional wires.
If it isn’t TSO’d due to improper battery replacement, would this make the plane not airworthy?
Those are not "standard" D cell batteries. Those are Lithium Sulfur-Dioxide cells, and do indeed put out 3 volts per cell, though they are the same physical size as a standard D-cell.
“Airworthiness” of an experimental is sort of its own can of worms. If replacing the battery oneself violates a FAR, that’s really all anyone needs to know.
Only if the GPS signal is active when the crash happens. Otherwise, the ELT has to wake up, wait for a GPS fix, and *then* send your location. All while the aircraft is burning, sinking, flipping upside down (you've got a GPS antenna on the belly, right?)...
You have the option of manually activating the ELT as part of your emergency procedures. Or you could choose a dual frequency ELT that simultaneously broadcasts on both frequencies.
www.seaerospace.com
). Typically, we'd get a call from Colorado Springs SAR about a satellite hit and a very general location based on doppler shift (GPS had been invented but wasn't a thing yet). The mission pilot would eventually get a call via an elaborate phone tree and we'd start a search grid using a LORAN console in the aircraft (Cessna 172XP) and a standard direction finder to triangulate the signal once we acquired (if we acquired it). It often involved a lot of flying since up here in the hinterlands CAP squadrons that had planes or pilots were relatively few and far between. It was generally fun, and often boring, as is often typical of mission-based flying. We never did get called for an actual crash, but I recall the frustration of fiddling with the direction finder to track ELTs that were traveling around in the trunk of a car. The easier missions were when the ELT was stationary in a hangar somewhere. Our other mission back in those days was flying around in northern Minnesota with DEA agents looking for marijuana grow operations as part of the DARE program.
Do ELTs with their own internal GPS receivers exist? If so, do they have their own external GPS antenna?
Brings back memories! I was loosely associated with the Montana CAP (no uniforms or CAP meetings) and we had practice Search and Rescue (SAR) every couple of months. We used our own aircraft and a couple of us would go out and put out 'targets', which was sometimes actual airplane parts but mostly aluminum foil stretched out to look like an airplane, sometimes hidden in a ravine or other sneaky places. There were pilot/observers that were great at locating targets, some not so good. There were times when a target would not be located that was CLEARLY visible from the air. It was enlightening. The lieutenant would go berserk when we would come into the pattern at a remote airport in formation!Back in the day, ELT's would broadcast on 121.5 only (assuming that the antenna wasn't severed in the crash
It was a lot of flying at Air Force expense and mostly a lot of fun. Nice equipment. Today, that squadron flies a brand new Cessna 182 with a truly awesome avionics suite. I confess to being a little jealous.
What? Wait.....were YOU in the pattern just now? Really? I didn't see you at ALL! We went out on several real SARs but without ELT information. Several of us were also mountain certified. My mountain certification got interesting when my certifier started to get airsick in the back seat of the Cub and I had to find a field to land in to get him calmed down! I passed! Yes: great flying at Air Force expense but also providing a much-needed service!
Both my Apple Watch and iPhone have crash detection which will automatically send to satellite if a cellular or wifi connection aren't available if the device sees that I'm immobile for some period of time. I crashed my mountain bike last summer but was up and moving so the watch just asked me if I was OK. If I hadn't responded, it would have dialed 911 and I'd have some 'splainin' to do...With the advent of Personal Location Devices (PLD) that communicate with satellites and good ones costing half of what a battery pack costs for an ELT, it makes me wonder why these aren't more widely used. I have one that was a Christmas gift and haven't activated the coverage yet but it seems like a GREAT alternative to an ELT. Or to supplement an ELT. Have it attached to your shoulder harness and activate it when you think things are going to go awry.
ACR Resq-link+ This is exactly what I have. This one is no longer manufactured, but ACR has newer versions of it.With the advent of Personal Location Devices (PLD) that communicate with satellites and good ones costing half of what a battery pack costs for an ELT, it makes me wonder why these aren't more widely used. I have one that was a Christmas gift and haven't activated the coverage yet but it seems like a GREAT alternative to an ELT. Or to supplement an ELT. Have it attached to your shoulder harness and activate it when you think things are going to go awry.
an experimental is never airworthy, it is in a safe condition for flight. if it safe? i would say so. HOWEVER, the pilot in command is expected to know the FAR's and not operate outside the FAR's. it would be a very easy for the FAA to say, you are required to have a TSo'ed ELT and not maintaining it in accordance with the TSO is required and the pilot should know that. especially since it says it right on the ELT. they would probably have no problem violating a pilot for it, and making it stick, and im am willing to bet they would throw 91.13 in there also.
They will throw 91.13 in there for ANY violation. If you can manage to blow a tire and get their attention, you can bet that 91.13 will be discussed.
Waiting around for FAA/NASA to develop some new technology is not a winning strategy.
I always assumed that is why the switch is located on the panel right in front of the pilot but you're correct...that is not an item on the emergency checklist. I've switched mine on by accident while trying to steady my hand for the touchscreen during turbulence. A call from the Air Force upon landing cleared it up.
My thinking exactly! I am an A&P and will be redoing my panel in a few weeks. After researching the 406 mhz ELT it makes sense that if you had an in flight emergency that put making an airfield in doubt, switch that puppy ON! So much better than an 121.5 ELT that requires both crash activation and a search party with directional antenna to find your crash site.
Most definitely, always on any checklist I have developed/used for an engine out. Personally, I would find pushing that little red button waaaaaay higher on my priority list than squawking 7700 if time was limited.
I don’t have time to go reread the manuals but I have stuck in my head that my acr-346 requires around 50 seconds from activation until transmitting a gps position. This is why they strongly recommend activating before the crash.
Exactly! Hitting the ELT button has always been on mine as well and pretty high up on the list. Messing with the transponder is not even on my list! If I was at 10K, maybe I would have time to mess with that. I think there are many more important items on the list that I would be occupied with. Like: FLY THE AIRPLANE! Aviate, navigate, communicate. That is why it is third on the list....
Exactly. So what value does a g-switch give you, and if the G-switch isn't adding any value, then why do we need an expensive 406 MHz ELT when a SPOT/PLB/ADS-B squawk does the same thing?
Agreed! Has current technology passed up the need for an ELT? When they first came out there was nothing else that worked like they did. Now there are other technologies that work just as well if not better. Especially if coupled together: ADS-B track ending followed by a PLB broadcast. I can text with my PLB; I can't do that with my ELT.
I remember when LORAN was a huge deal! Now...........
