121.5 ELTs banned

On Jun 22, 1:13Â*pm, wrote:
On Jun 22, 11:43Â*am, Darryl Ramm wrote:



On Jun 22, 7:32Â*am, jb92563 wrote:

On Jun 21, 4:01Â*pm, brian whatcott wrote:

Since satellite cover has been withdrawn for 121.5
(High false alert rate, poor localization)
406.0 and 406.1 ELTs will be needed, following a recent FCC determination.

Brian W

Since the bereaucrats love so many rules, why not make another and let
Gliders and ballons use PLB's like SPOT since in our sport we often
have support crews that will monitor our progress in any case, making
SPOT a very convenient tool for us and our crews.

Ray.

First a SPOT is *not* a PLB. A PLB is a specific device regulated by
the FCC that transmits on 406 MHz to COAPAS-SARSAT (and also a 121.5
homing becon). It is essentially a lower power, smaller, manually
activated 406 MHz ELT.

SPOT is a private service run by Globalstar. The (multi-)government
service is COSPAS-SARSAT and that provides pretty impressive emergency
notification service for marine (EPIRB), Aviation (ELT) and private
(PLB) use. It makes no sense for he government to promote SPOT over
SARSAT-COSPAS.

There is no federal requirement for a glider to carry an ELT. There is
an apparently well intended but badly outdated SSA contest rule that
allows a CD to require gliders to carry an ELT. The issue I have with
that is a 406 MHz PLB is likely a much better SAR alerting device than
an old 121.5 MHz ELT even if you could properly mount one in the
glider. ELTs in light aircraft have an abysmal activation failure
record, and I suspect that will be much worse in gliders with many of
them improperly mounted and the lower impact energy of many glider
crashes. SPOT tracking is great, a 10 minute position report gives you
a simple area of uncertainty roughly about the same as an old SARSAT
121.5 MHz Doppler fix, but because you can usually use the glider path
to predict the flight direction it's actually better than that. At
least it's a good start for a search operation. If the pilot can
activate "911" on their SPOT and it gets a view of the Globalstar
satellites and a GPS fix then their final position is know as well. I
prefer the redundancy of havign both SPOT and a PLB and the technical
advantages of a PLB for that ultimate distress situation, but if I am
in distress can I'll be activating 911 on my SPOT and activating my
PLB. At a minimum the old SSA contest rule for ELTs could be modified
to allow a CD if they choose to require SPOT and/or "406 MHZ PLB or
ELT carriage".

Darryl

SSA competition rules provide the option for contest organizers to
require these types of devices. Currently, if a glider is impact ELT
equipped, it will satisfy this requirement. Organizers may also permit
SPOT as an alternative to impact activated ELT's , but currently can't
require SPOT instead of impact actiaved ELT's. The rules continue to
evolve as capabilities change.
The Contest Committee is on record as strongly suggesting use of some
kind of safety device by all participants.
I currently have a 121.5 impact activated ELT, 406 PL, and SPOT.
Something should work.
UH
SSA Competition Rules Committee Chair

Uh actually, while this has changed a bit for the better the rules
still have problems, especially with respect to not encouraging use of
406 MHZ PLB devices. Here is the corresponding part of the 2010 Sport
Class Regionals Rules...



6.5.2 ‡ Emergency Location Devices
Emergency Location Devices are electronic devices that may be used to
assist in locating downed sailplanes. Each must be a standard
production model produced in quantity by a reputable manufacturer.
6.5.2.1 ‡ The following categories of Emergency Location Devices are
recognized:
6.5.2.1.1 ‡ Type 1: Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) - an impact-
activated beacon conforming to FAA TSO C91, C91a or
C126.
6.5.2.1.2 ‡ Type 2: Position tracker - a device that without pilot
action transmits regular reports of an aircraft's in-flight position
in
such a way that these reports are readily available to contest
officials in near real time.
6.5.2.2 ‡ When announced on the Application For Sanction form, a
device in one of these categories (as specified by contest
organizers) shall be required in every sailplane. When Type 2 devices
are specified, a Type 1 device shall be considered an
acceptable substitute.
6.5.2.3 ‡ Notwithstanding other provisions within these Rules,
Emergency Location Devices shall not be considered proscribed 2-
way communication devices Rule 6.6.3.




Here the SSA is calling out impact activated ELTs for possible
requirement for a contest. There is no allowance in these rules for a
406 MHz PLB. A PLB is certainly not impact activated (and whether an
ELT will anywhere near reliably impact activate is a big IF). An PLB
is also not manufactured to meet TSO requirements - they do meet
strict FCC and RTCM requirements (Radio Technical Commission for
Marine Services - yes I know they are not for Marine use, but that is
where the specs come from). Especially when considering the rules
allow crappy old 121.5 Mhz only ELTs -- jeez even TSO C91 devices that
are really antiquated and often problematic. There is no sane way to
argue that a modern 406 MHz PLB should not be allowed in this list.
I've tried to point out this silliness in the SSA rules in the past,
it now allows SPOT trackers, great, but it still does not allow a PLB
and continues to allow really old 121.5 MHz piece of crap ELTs.

So do you agree this is a problem? Anybody going to look at fixing
this?


Darryl