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:cool: |
Also needs a fourth option:
Satellite Tracker with an emergency switch. Spot/Inreach/etc. |
Do any of those( sat tracker) have emergency switches? Didn?t think they did and if they do do they first have to go through the seller then to search and rescue or straight to search and rescue?
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A couple of additional thoughts here...
1) If carrying a PLB, please, when you register it, include in the registry information a note that clearly says the PLB will be carried in your aircraft. We have had one rescue in British Columbia go badly because the SAR folks didn't know the PLB was carried by a pilot. 2) At the moment there are no "bread crumb" devices which use G-switch activation of their "emergency" transmission. They all require a human finger to push that button. 3) After listening to many, many pilots talk about ELTs, PLBs, SPOT, etc, I believe this poll would most accurately reflect reality if it offered a third option of a re-designed "breadcrumb tracker" which included G-switch activation of its distress messaging and a 406MHz beacon where that 406MHz beacon is priced at PLB cost rather than ELT cost. Ultimately this would yield a MUCH better solution, one that would give SAR a history of your position and velocity, a human-activated distress beacon via both the Spot/InReach/Spidertracks type of satellite network as well as a crash-activated alert via the 406MHz SARSAT network. We are getting closer to having the breadcrumb trail established via ADSB, particularly via Aireon's satellite-based ADSB. I remain ever hopeful that we will evolve toward a multi-faceted approach to signalling distress for aviators rather than our single solution as mandated today. Technological advancements have really come a long way toward helping find downed aircraft. This is a good thing indeed. |
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EDIT. Damage, loss of satellite view and the fact that the spider unit runs on aircraft power is why it is likely to stop transmitting after a serious accident. Fin 9A |
Thanks for sharing those details, Fin.
From what I've been hearing from both US and Canadian customers, the routing of Spidertracks emergency notifications seems to work well in both these jurisdictions. Not having used a Spidertracks unit, what is the proper shutdown procedure to avoid setting off this "inactivity" alarm? I can just see how I'd be the guy who would forget to hit the "home safe and sound" button... |
Canadian Joy,
The Spidertracks unit (mine is an S3) goes into “monitor” mode at 30 kt (from memory) at takeoff indicated by a steady blue light. After landing and below 30 kt it can be shut off by pressing the monitor button which makes the blue light flash while it communicates the shut down with the base station in New Zealand. After about 10 seconds to a minute or so the blue light goes out indicating successful communication with the base station and power can shut off to the unit. If you stuff up the shut down, after 15 minutes you and your nominated contacts will receive alert texts and emails with the ability to cancel or escalate the alert by replying. If, after a further 15 minutes and no one has cancelled, Search and Rescue will be notified. Edit: You can also stop a pending 15 minute alert by pushing the monitor button to go back into monitor mode and then shutting down correctly. This is preferable to concerned calls from your nominated contacts wondering if you have crashed!! Fin 9A |
I've carried both for many years, especailly on our trips to Alaska. The SPOT provides 10 minute tracking updates to everyone back home, so at least there is a trail.
Yes, I hope to be able to activate the SPOT if neededl, but if I'm incapacitated (bird strike), I sure hope the 406 ELT works. I would also plan on activating the ELT if it didn't activate and I was safely on the ground. Of course, if going down in some remote place, I would prbably activate the ELT with the panel button while still airborne. I heard an interesting tidbit once by the person in charge of airborne rescue operations in Canada. He said they had an unlimited budget for a downed aircraft with an ELT activation, but not so with PLB's/SPOTS, as they are used by lots more than aviation people. I plan on keeping both. :) Vic |
I'm also in the BOTH camp. I have a 406 ELT installed and I'm also looking at the PLB but haven't researched it enough yet.
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