In June, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released a regulatory document stating, in part, “The manufacture, importation, sale or use of 121.5 MHz ELTs is prohibited.” Relax: At this writing, the ban has not gone into effect and cannot until at least early September. Although the FCCs action apparently caught many unawares, it was telegraphed as long ago as 2001. The ban comes on the heels 288
Do We Really Need ELTs?
In June, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released a regulatory document stating, in part, "The manufacture, importation, sale or use of 121.5 MHz ELTs is prohibited." Relax: At this writing, the ban has not gone into effect and cannot until at least early September. Although the FCCs action apparently caught many unawares, it was telegraphed as long ago as 2001. The ban comes on the heels of-and is partly justified by-the February 2009 cessation of satellite-based monitoring of 121.5 MHz emergency locator transmitters by the responsible international organization. The present lack of satellite-based monitoring shouldnt be anything new to pilots or operators.
Key Takeaways:
- The FCC is banning 121.5 MHz ELTs due to the cessation of satellite monitoring for this frequency, a decision made without apparent consultation with the FAA, which still allows their use.
- ELTs, including newer 406 MHz models, suffer from low activation rates in actual crashes (73-83%) and exceptionally high false alarm rates (90-98%).
- The author challenges the continued mandate for ELTs, citing their unreliability (as demonstrated in a recent crash), cost, and the availability of more effective modern search and rescue technologies.
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