Is it mandatory to have a 406 Mhz ELT while flying in Canada? I've searched the web but can't find a definitive answer. Lot's of talk about how it might be required, but can't find THE answer. I think it is required but I plan on staying near the boarder so maybe not. Anyone know for sure?

Alex

Eventually you will, but I believe you are OK for the moment. The regulation requiring the 406 elt is coming, but it hasn't yet been released. This is the latest from COPA on the subject.

http://www.copanational.org/ELTUpdateMay112010.cfm

Cheers

Andy is correct. Despite Copa's lobbying efforts, it appears that 406's will be mandated. 2 years ago, Kevin Patuska, head of Copa, gave a presentation about the differences between 121.5s and 406s. Seems that they both share the same G switch which is the part that fails to activate in a crash. RE: the Ted Stevens crash that was a sad flight into the ground as ex Nasa head O'Keefe stated today. "No unusual manuvering, just crunch (I paraphrase). ELT did not go off as way to many seem to suffer this problem.

Who's using a 406 ELT? What's the best bang for the $ (brand/model) out there?

Glidergeek wrote:Who's using a 406 ELT? What's the best bang for the $ (brand/model) out there?

The answer to your second question is largely dependent on what brand/model of old ELT you currently have installed because parts and labor are tied to whether one can use some of the existing installation (such as the mounting tray, communication cable to the control switch/panel, etc.) for the new model.

That being said the ACK E-04 is far and away the cheapest for unit cost, and also, for me, it would be the cheapest to install as a drop in replacement for the ACK E-01 analog model that I had, requiring only an antenna change (all of them require a different antenna due to the different signal.) Unfortunately it is STILL not approved in the USA pending test results.

After that many brands are at about the same price point. The Airtex can reuse some of the ACK E-01 installation such as the communication cable (with a little adapter.)