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Don't Wait for ELT, Says Elta
European emergency locator transmitter (ELT) market leader Elta has advice for business jet operators: the deadline for upgrading ELTs may be closer than you think. Most U.S. aircraft carry two-frequency ELTs—operating on the standard 121.5 MHz distress frequency and the military 243 MHz.
Operators are gradually switching to three-frequency ELTs, adding the digital 406 MHz channel used by the SARSAT search-and-rescue satellite system, says Elta head of worldwide sales Peter Male, because from February 2009 SARSAT will no longer monitor 121.5—it will be used solely for homing.
But, Male cautions, some countries are already imposing tougher ELT standards. "If you fly in Mexico, 406 MHz is mandatory, and Russia just passed a regulation that requires two ELTs operating on 406 MHz, from January 1." Male's advice: think about an ELT upgrade next time the airplane is in for maintenance.
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