Posted on 06/22/2010 6:09:03 AM PDT by pabianice
The Federal Communications Commission took the general aviation world by surprise when it said in a recent report it will prohibit the sale or use of 121.5 MHz emergency locator transmitters, effective in August. The Aircraft Electronics Association said it just learned of the new rule today, and has begun working with the FAA, FCC and others to allow for timely compliance without grounding thousands of general aviation aircraft. The 121.5 ELTs are allowed under FAA rules. The FCC said its rules have been amended to "prohibit further certification, manufacture, importation, sale or use of 121.5 MHz ELTs." The FCC says that if the 121.5 units are no longer available, aircraft owners and operators will "migrate" to the newer 406.0-406.1 MHz ELTs, which are monitored by satellite, while the 121.5 frequency is not. "Were we to permit continued marketing and use of 121.5 MHz ELTs ... it would engender the risk that aircraft owners and operators would mistakenly rely on those ELTs for the relay of distress alerts," the FCC says. AOPA said today it is opposed to the rule change.
"The FCC is making a regulatory change that would impose an extra cost on GA operators, without properly communicating with the industry or understanding the implications of its action," said AOPA Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Rob Hackman. "There is no FAA requirement to replace 121.5 MHz units with 406 MHz technology. When two government agencies don't coordinate, GA can suffer." The AEA said dealers should refrain from selling any new 121.5 MHz ELTs "until further understanding of this new prohibition can be understood and a realistic timeline for transition can be established."
Those lessons usually backfire.
Better for the voters to teach the lessons at the polling booth.
I also use other more expensive services, especially when planning for the longer trips, but still find the AOPA flight planning / weather services to be convenient for the quick short hops.
As I recall, the GA issue with McCain was primarily associated with the user fee issue. Quite frankly, FAA funding really is a congressional issue, and the AOPA should have stayed out of the presidential endorsement game.
Over and out.
” Quite frankly, FAA funding really is a congressional issue, and the AOPA should have stayed out of the presidential endorsement game.”
Totally agree.
For short flight planning I use the Garmin Pilot My-Cast on an iPhone. Excellent information.
Hi,
Yeah ... read about it several years ago ...knew it was coming. It’s no big deal, well at least expense wise for AC owners - but - it enhances rescue chances since the signal goes to a satellite and works kinda like a GPS signal. It doesn’t go off unless there’s an accident and also the new box limits the chances of false signals. Part of preflight requires you to check the ELT signal to see if it’s accidentally been switched on ... OTOH there’s a new transponder you will have to get which has your AC number so it’s easier for ATC to find out who is being naughty ....
Wouldn’t a pilot being naughty lead to some harsh reprimands, especially commercial?
Oh yeah ... especially busting airspace without prior ok, stuff like that ...
I would never say such. As surreal as all this is to me, I do realize that it is real indeed.
I can't stop thinking about the book of Job. Every horrible thing that Satan put upon him had to be done through explicit permission from the Lord.
I figure that the Devil knows his days are now up and he is begging for permission, and receiving it, to create total havoc on Earth.
Interesting times are ahead. My days are numbered.
Mat God keep and bless anniegetyourgun.
Reminds me of the unauthorized flyovers from Top Gun, which these days would probably get a pilot immediately grounded.
Well what will happen when the new transponders are ordered you have to give your plane’s “N” number and that’s encoded along with the usual altitude and squawk code ... I don’t remember if there’s a certain date you have to have those but the planes I flew in the States some of them had the old ones ....
This has been in the works for quite some time, way before Insane The First came to power.
Speaking of trusting Him, remember that none of what's going on in the world today has caught Him by surprise. He is simply taking away all the things people put their hope in (their 401K, house, job, political party, etc.), in order that the last few who have not yet responded will come. Last call....
So the transponders are shipped with that specific craft’s ‘N’ number, after it’s ordered I guess?
Far cry from flight simulators 12 years ago...
Ya, when you order a replacement you give them your “N” number so they can encode it ....
How does one sell such used equipment then? Or buy it?
Who encodes the N number & how?
Did the plan include blind-siding both the FAA and the aviation industry? To make the needed 800,000 406 MHz ELTs would take 2-3 years, not two months. The cost of $ 1,200 installed is a cost not easily borne by general aviation (this on top of removing the now useless LORAN receivers). No, Obama's FCC is another new internal terrorist organization. They ARE planning to regulate the Internet, too.
When you buy new you have to give the “N” number ... used? Are there some out there already? Somehow I believe you have to go to an aviation repair place and they do it ... just guessing ....
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