Mandatory ELT

With the requirement by the SRA rules committee for mounted FAA
approved ELT's for all SSA contests in 2006 I think it would be
helpfull if those that have them would sha
- Make and Model they have.
- Installation location of unit and antenna.
- Recommendations for those yet to do it.
It would be nice if those of us yet to do it could learn from those
that have done this.

Thanks
Tom
Idaho

wrote:
With the requirement by the SRA rules committee for mounted FAA
approved ELT's for all SSA contests in 2006 I think it would be
helpfull if those that have them would sha
- Make and Model they have.
- Installation location of unit and antenna.
- Recommendations for those yet to do it.
It would be nice if those of us yet to do it could learn from those
that have done this.

I plan to wait until May 2006 to ask this question. That will give the
other pilots plenty of time to investigate the options, and for the
latest equipment to become avaialble. In the meantime, I believe I my
C-91 ELT (not approved for 2006 contest use, unfortunately) will provide
most of the functionality I want.

If the contest requirement is the only reason a pilot has for installing
one, I suggest he also wait. Even if you'd like to have an ELT now, you
might consider waiting until the newest ELTs are on the shelves and
people have some experience with them. They are currently much more
expensive, but provide much better locating ability, and will be
actively monitored after 2009, unlike the C-91a units.


--
Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA

since the current and/or in the future, ELT's are NOT required in gliders
by FAR's and the older and current TSO C91 units will still function on into
the future, there is still no need to install 406 units in gliders.not now,
not in 2006......there is simply not outlaw or reason why the current
121.5/243 ELT's will not still be as useful in 2006 as they are today.....
I am not contest flying, but I will have an ELT, a 121.5 unit, installed in
my glider, one that goes off on impact, not simply one I can set off, if I
am still alive and conscious.......just in case...
tim
Please visit the Wings & Wheels website at:
www.wingsandwheels.com



"Eric Greenwell" wrote in message
...
wrote:
With the requirement by the SRA rules committee for mounted FAA
approved ELT's for all SSA contests in 2006 I think it would be
helpfull if those that have them would sha
- Make and Model they have.
- Installation location of unit and antenna.
- Recommendations for those yet to do it.
It would be nice if those of us yet to do it could learn from those
that have done this.

I plan to wait until May 2006 to ask this question. That will give the
other pilots plenty of time to investigate the options, and for the latest
equipment to become avaialble. In the meantime, I believe I my C-91 ELT
(not approved for 2006 contest use, unfortunately) will provide most of
the functionality I want.

If the contest requirement is the only reason a pilot has for installing
one, I suggest he also wait. Even if you'd like to have an ELT now, you
might consider waiting until the newest ELTs are on the shelves and people
have some experience with them. They are currently much more expensive,
but provide much better locating ability, and will be actively monitored
after 2009, unlike the C-91a units.


--
Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA

wrote:
With the requirement by the SRA rules committee for mounted FAA
approved ELT's for all SSA contests in 2006 I think it would be
helpfull if those that have them would sha
- Make and Model they have.
- Installation location of unit and antenna.
- Recommendations for those yet to do it.
It would be nice if those of us yet to do it could learn from those
that have done this.

Thanks
Tom
Idaho

In MHO, the proposed rule to only allow FAA approved and mounted ELT's
for sanctioned contests does not make soaring any safer. A portable
unit, that goes on the Nylon-descent with me would be my choice. I want
SAR to find me - not the wreck. I also doubt that a mounted ELT would
even be activated by a glider crashing into trees - with or without a
pilot on board. The new generation units like the Fastfind plus 406 or
AeroFix 406 are very attractive due to their low weight of 11-12oz. How
much does one of those installed 'bricks' weigh? Keep in mind, they
were designed for big planes, not for gliders.

Uli Neumann

Uli,
Are you aware how an ELT is tested? When I get my annual, we remove it
and the A&P just does a firm swing forward and pulls back to verify it
will activate. This is, I'm sure, a lot less force than anything that
might incapacitate the pilot.

If I manage to bail out, and survive, I doubt I'll be more than a mile
from the plane. If the plane is found, I'm sure I will as well.

Given a choice, I'd rather have an ELT that doesn't require me to
activate it. Of course, the best would be to also get a EPIRB for the
parachute harness.

Oh, on my ASH-26E, the ELT is mounted on the cockpit sill just behind
my left elbow. The fuselage is all carbon except for the area above
the baggage compartment, so the whip antenna is mounted internally and
curves around the top. An improvement might be to install a foil type
of antenna in the roof of the baggage compartment.

-Tom

"5Z" wrote in message
oups.com...

Oh, on my ASH-26E, the ELT is mounted on the cockpit sill just behind
my left elbow. The fuselage is all carbon except for the area above
the baggage compartment, so the whip antenna is mounted internally and
curves around the top. An improvement might be to install a foil type
of antenna in the roof of the baggage compartment.

-Tom


Is there a reason not to use a small flexible antenna from a hand held
radio for the 121.5/243Mhz ELTs?

-Ramy

"Is there a reason not to use a small flexible antenna from a hand held
radio for the 121.5/243Mhz ELTs?"

Yes. A small flexible antenna will not radiate as strong a signal. A full
size 1/4 wave antenna is about 24" long. When you are lost and someone is
looking for you, you would like to have a strong of signal as possible.

If you are planning on landing a few miles from the search aircraft, the
rubber duck will be fine.

Colin

Don't buy either of these units (or buy at your own risk): the
manufacturer was fined $75K by the FCC for advertising unapproved
product as "FCC approved". Decree dated Nov 2004.