ELT ELT406GPS Installation, Operating And Maintenance Manual Download

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5.1 Introduction to Installation
Installations must be made by qualified personnel in accordance with FAA regulations. Since
aircraft rules regarding installation of equipment changes it is important to check the current
FAA rules.  Simply removing your old ELT and installing a new 406ELT may not meet today’s
minimum requirements.   A good rule of thumb would be to refer to the following:

• FAA – Advisory Circular (AC) 43.13 (Acceptable Methods, Techniques, and

Practices – Aircraft Alterations), specifically, Chapters 1 through 3, 11 and 13

• TSO C126a paragraph D Requirements:

You can find this information at www.faa.gov

Every aircraft is different and these only represent general guidelines. It is also important to
consult with the airframe manufacturer, Type Certificate Data Sheet, any STCs, or Service
Bulletins for any specific information on ELT installations. The FAA requires the use of

approved data

for all aircraft installations and accepts AC 43.13 as approved data. The

information in this manual is generally accepted as

acceptable data

from which you can

generate the proper documentation for this installation.

It is important for the installer to determine if this change constitutes a major or

minor alteration. In most installations in non-pressurized areas, ELTs and their

antenna systems are not considered a major alteration by the FAA.

5.2 Special Considerations
Care must be made in planning the installation on any new piece of equipment on the aircraft.
The control switch should be mounted in a location that is easily accessible to the pilot during
normal operations. There are other important factors to consider when planning the installation.
Remember the wise old sage that said,

“Those who fail to plan, plan to fail”.

5.2.1 Survivability
It has been reported by different agencies that an estimated 30 - 70% of all ELT’s have failed
during a real emergency. The reasons vary and no real long-term study has ever been done but
here are some of the causes most often cited:

•

Aircraft hits too hard. Excessive impacts break housing; wire harnesses, switches and antennas
come off.

•

Aircraft came to rest in unusual attitudes and the antenna is masked from satellite or SAR
surveillance.

•

Aircraft catches fire or lands in water.

What then can be done to make the unit more survivable?

Emerging Lifesaving Technologies examined this problem and designed many safety features
into the unit. The most common internal failure appears to be loss of battery power. Some units
use off-the-shelf alkaline batteries that corrode and dissipate quickly. They are installed like