FCC to ban 121.5 ELT

Just saw this online. Can I still buy a new ELT cheap?

http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/FCCBans1215ELTs_202760-1.html

Lets see if I have this right: FAA says 121.5 ELT ok along with new 406. FAA says that ELT's need to be tested at annual. FCC says 121.5 ELT's are banned and only 406 can be used. Over on the SWP.org the thread on this topic says FCC will fine operators if they turn on (TEST at annual???) the 406's. So, basically we have two siblings living in Washington, not talking to one another, and their infighting is going to cost us $$$$$ Any body know the truth here? It sure would be nice to know if I can use the 121 I have for my project or if I need to buy a new 406 . Gotta love the government. Can you say HEALTH CARE???
Marty57

406 ELTs also transmit on 121.5

Don't 406 ELTs also transmit on 121.5? So the FCC is saying that every single ELT out there in the US needs to be replaced in two months with ELTs that do not yet exist.

Maybe the FAA will finally undo the silly ELT thing and just drop the requirement. If not, and if the FCC really goes through with this, there sure will be a whole lot of grounded airplanes come September.

The FCC is without doubt the dumbest, least competent federal agency in government, in my opinion.

Yes, ALL ELT's, even the newest ones, transmit on 121.5 as well as 406, so the FCC has taken careful aim, and shot themselves precisely in the foot.

The FAA could care less about ELTs. The FAA DID NOT mandate ELTs--Congress did, after the disappearance of Boggs and Begich in Alaska, so don't rag on the FAA about "their" stupid ELT requirements. The FAA DID NOT want anything to do with ELTs then, and they still don't. It wasn't invented by FAA, and they want nothing to do with it. Note that the changeover to 406 was NOT mandated by FAA either.

It will be interesting to see how fast FCC can reverse course on this one.....

MTV

Hey what can I do, when I want to fly to Canada?

Meh. F*&% the FCC. They can fine my estate when the CAP finds my wreckage 5 years after I've gone missing.

That's going to be expensive for small 135 operators though.

mvivion said:

It will be interesting to see how fast FCC can reverse course on this one.....MTV

Click to expand...

The dance has begun! Be sure to have a chair when the music stops...

An article from Aero-News.net


FCC Clarifies 121.5 MHz ELT Rule
Wed, 23 Jun '10

AEA's Peri: "60 Day Clock ... Has Not Begun"
Aviation's alphabet groups have jumped to respond to the threat of the FCC's proposed ban on the certification, manufacture, importation, sale, or continued use of 121.5 MHz Emergency Locator Transmitters. It's being portrayed as a sudden, unexpected ruling, but that's a matter of perspective.

Like the California flight instructor regulatory mess of two weeks ago, the FCC's ELT ruling shows, if anything, the extent to which the alphabet groups are focused on Washington in general, and the FAA in particular, and don't have mechanisms in place to monitor lawmaking at the state level or in other federal bureaus.

The June 1st ruling appears at first glance to have gone unnoticed within the aviation industry for no more than about two weeks. But it actually stems from a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking dating all the way back to 2006.

Ric Peri, VP for Industry and Regulatory Affairs for the Aircraft Electronics Association, said in the June 23rd Aero News Special Feature that the FCC has been inundated with comments on the action, and has said it will not take any action which forces pilots to choose between contradictory federal rules from the FCC and FAA.

He adds that in response to the heads-up from AEA, AOPA and other groups "...the final rule has not been submitted to the Federal Register for publication, therefore, the 60-day clock for implementation of the rule has not begun."

Unlike the California state legislature, the FCC also seems to be admitting it had inadequate background on the feasibility or impact of its ruling, which Peri estimates would have forced 200-thousand aircraft through 800 repair stations in a 60-day period, impossible even if an adequate supply of newer ELTs was available.

AEA adds that the FCC has clarified its intent to outlaw only those older ELTs which have only 121.5 MHz capability, not the newer, 406-MHz ELTs which also transmit on 121.5.

On the AEA website, the association encourages its membership not to sell C91a ELTs to customers without them knowing the latest ruling of the FCC, there is no immediate regulatory need for operators to upgrade their legacy C91a ELTs to the more modern C126 ELTs. For safety reasons, the AEA continues to encourage operators to upgrade their ELTs to the modern C126 ELT. Operators of the legacy C91a ELTs should be made aware the usefulness of their ELTs is very limited, as the justification for the FCC ruling indicates, and most likely will not provide the search-and-rescue capabilities they might expect.

Peri says details in this story are developing rapidly. In the meantime, there appears to be a lesson for all of us. If you see something happening in your state capital, or in a federal bureau other than the FCC, and it looks like it might impact aviation, call the alphabet groups. As huge as the web of government has grown at all levels, it's not reasonable to assume our industry advocacy groups will see everything without our help.

John Scott

delete

T.J. for President!

T.J. said:

Typical guvment fcc, faa bull ###t. I would debate which agency is the dumbest.
Simple solution, logbook entry, "ELT INOP." Placard on instrument panel, "ELT INOP".
When and if these idiots get their s##t together, then I'll TRY to comply.
Remember these folks are guvment employees, they are stupid.
Of course I jest. Our guvment employees are some of the most intelligent folks in the world.

Click to expand...

How do you really think about the FCC?

But I disagree with your dumb rating, check out the USDOT commercial folks in the office, they actually said that a Class A truck has different transmitions and brakes than a class B

Which is like saying the cub has different elevator and alieron controls on floats than wheels :roll:

But I like the Inop idea, but are we not limited to a small radius from home then?

See FAR 91.207. ELT may be removed for up to 90 days for repairs, mods, or replacement. Logbook entry and panel marked.