+1 or +2 (lost count) on Emerging Lifesaveing Technologies 406 ELT w/ built in GPS.

Several reasons for choice:

1. Has own GPS which runs off the plane power; therefore, is continually updated when plane is powered up and antenna locks on to satellite which means your system has the current location stored before the "incident" ( I know there is a 53 second delay between the time you trip the trigger and the first signal goes out....have no idea why the SAR folks require this but guessing it is a marine requirement that carried over) I like this better than units that start looking for satellites after the "incident" or tripping the emergency switch. Once you are on the ground there is no guarantees that satellites will be visible.

2. As stated before the antenna "sees" 270 degrees. Better chance of satellites being located if aircraft does not come to rest with the antenna pointing to the sky.

3. The unit mounts nicely on a secured tray and the antenna mounts inside the steel tubing "cage" of my fabric fuselage. Figure things that stick out might get knocked off upon arrival at the "incident". Don't think this is an option with aluminum aircraft or with "silver" on the fabric process (comments here?).


Piece of equipment that I hope never to need, but if needed I really want the "come get me" message to go out with the proper location info.

TD

Battson wrote:Don't the Artex have that notorious recurring AD on them?

The only AD I'm aware of was the one which required all ELT manufacturers to stop shipping with Velcro attachment straps, but even that wasn't applicable to owners. Maybe you know something I don't.

Cary

TomD wrote:+1 or +2 (lost count) on Emerging Lifesaveing Technologies 406 ELT w/ built in GPS.

1. Has own GPS which runs off the plane power; therefore, is continually updated when plane is powered up and antenna locks on to satellite which means your system has the current location stored before the "incident" ( I know there is a 53 second delay between the time you trip the trigger and the first signal goes out....have no idea why the SAR folks require this but guessing it is a marine requirement that carried over) I like this better than units that start looking for satellites after the "incident" or tripping the emergency switch. Once you are on the ground there is no guarantees that satellites will be visible.

I've been looking at this one too. While it has the internal GPS, it recommends a 1/2A circuit of plane power for the GPS. I guess otherwise it eats up it's own battery pretty quick. The ACK or ARTEX w/o GPS would need a wire ran to whatever panel or portable (compatible) GPS you have, so you're not saving anything on installation, still a wire to run either way. It's twice the price (not one of my deciding factors though for something that will save my life), and it can't be removed as a portable ELT...but that's more what PLBs and such are for.

The ARTEX that I was leaning to can have the antenna mounted internally on my plane, but I have a plate in the fabric anyway right in that area for an antenna, so might as well mount whichever one I get externally.

Most of the 406's out there with internal GPS just don't start looking until the inertia or panel switch is activated so they don't eat the battery. I have no idea how the units that are getting the data from a remote GPS power the unit, hopefully not from the internal battery.

I got a call back from ELT customer service yesterday on a couple of questions. I was pleasantly surprised on the transmit time on their Li-Mg battery. I can't remember the number of hours at 5 year battery age, but it is a lot. Contact them and they will give you the exact numbers.

Evidently they are working on a lighter version that will be lighter and then they will offer a portable antenna. I am with you I would like to be able to take it from the plane but I always have a 406 PLB in my vest.

TomD wrote:Evidently they are working on a lighter version that will be lighter and then they will offer a portable antenna. I am with you I would like to be able to take it from the plane but I always have a 406 PLB in my vest.

I wonder when they hope to hit the market with that. I don't need an ELT until maybe later this year if all goes well.

TomD wrote:Most of the 406's out there with internal GPS just don't start looking until the inertia or panel switch is activated so they don't eat the battery. I have no idea how the units that are getting the data from a remote GPS power the unit, hopefully not from the internal battery.
<snip>

I've understood that there's some sort of storage set-up, so that the ELT gets updates from the panel GPS and hangs onto them for a few moments before it gets updated again. I've always planned, however, that if I was about to go down, I would flip on the ELT so that it would start broadcasting before I hit the dirt. That would also assure that it came on, period, as shock switches don't always work as designed. Besides, my landing would be undoubtedly so smooth that it wouldn't activate the switch, anyway.

I too, carry a PLB in my vest, plus another one in a pocket behind the pilot seat, plus signal flares and a signal mirror--can't have too many ways to call for help!

Cary

For what it's worth, Maule Air is installing the Airtex units with an antennae in the tail cone of the new planes they build. It is on the Type Certificate now and that might make the paperwork a touch easier.