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  #1  
Old 03-30-2012, 04:05 AM
Tim Mahoney Tim Mahoney is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: St. Cloud, Minnesota
Posts: 8
Default Ameriking 451 (406Mhz) ELT

Does anyone have any experiences concerning customer service with the Ameriking ELT company? I have tried to get them to repair my less than 2 year old 406 Mhz ELT, and have found them to be very difficult to work with. I have returned the ELT to them for the second time, as they did not repair it the first time (and I had to pay them even though it is under warranty). I am considering buying a different companies ELT. Any suggestions?
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  #2  
Old 03-30-2012, 08:50 AM
rwhittier rwhittier is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Glendale, AZ
Posts: 256
Default Try ACK

Can't comment on Ameriking, but if you do buy another brand, I have found the ACK guys to give outstanding service.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tim Mahoney View Post
Does anyone have any experiences concerning customer service with the Ameriking ELT company? I have tried to get them to repair my less than 2 year old 406 Mhz ELT, and have found them to be very difficult to work with. I have returned the ELT to them for the second time, as they did not repair it the first time (and I had to pay them even though it is under warranty). I am considering buying a different companies ELT. Any suggestions?
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RV7A Quick Build, Tip Up
N1MY Reserved - Canopy finished - Wings mated, Engine hung, electrical 95%
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  #3  
Old 03-30-2012, 10:38 AM
frazitl's Avatar
frazitl frazitl is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 488
Default check out my post#23 in the thread below

http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...eriking&page=3

Had to fly most of my flight testing w/o elt. This is legal per the fars btw...
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Terry F.
RV 7A N457RV
250 hours and lovin it!
Southern Nevada EAA Chapter 1300 - www.eaa1300.org

Paid VAF 03/17
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  #4  
Old 03-30-2012, 07:53 PM
Dan B Dan B is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Edmond, OK
Posts: 194
Default AK-451

I purchased my AK-451 ELT in Dec 2010 from Aircraft Spurce and installed it in Jan 2011. It has a two year warranty. I have done periodic tests about every 3 months. It failed to test in Feb 2012 during my condition inspection. The unit is dead, no indicator test light and no transmission on 121.5.

Lesson learned: Test your ELT on a regular basis, even if new.

Side note: After phone call to Ameri-King, ELT was shipped to them for repair. I have had several conversations with them since shipping the ELT. English is not the first language at the Ameri-King phone number. Communication has been difficult with the personnel at Ameri-King due to a language barrier. They will not let you talk to a supervisor, you can only e-mail the manager at the company address. Aircraft Spruce has contacted them on my behalf to get the unit returned. Supposedly, unit was shipped back to me Mar 9. Something doesn't smell right here!
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Skyview, ADS-B, Garmin 420W, TT Gemini AP
RV-9A, IO-320, E-Mag
Guthrie-Edmond Rgnl, OK (KGOK)
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  #5  
Old 03-31-2012, 07:11 AM
Wayne Gillispie Wayne Gillispie is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: USA
Posts: 1,499
Default

I have same ELT and taking notes guys. Is your battery good. If not take it somewhere local to get a new one built. I would not send it in for a battery.

I'd rather trash mine and buy a competitors product before dealing with poor customer service which seems to be the norm anymore.
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Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.
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  #6  
Old 03-31-2012, 12:34 PM
mfshook62 mfshook62 is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Windsor, Ca
Posts: 129
Default Ameriking Customer Service

About a year ago I had to deal with Ameriking customer service to resolve an AK451 warranty issue. Most of the experimental aircraft vendors that I have dealt with over the years have gone out of their way to resolve an issue. My dealings with Ameriking caused me to rank them at the bottom of my vendor satisfaction list. They were difficult to deal with, but I was very persistent and finally got my problem fixed. It took me 5 uncomfortable phone conversations, 3 trips to the post office, and about 3 weeks to finally get my antenna replaced, and to also settle a dispute about charging me for shipping costs after they sent me the wrong antenna. The man who usually answered the phone is confrontational, uncooperative, and short tempered, so dont waste your time with him. Try to speak to the other person there named Brian, or Bruce, or a similar name, he was fairly reasonable, cooperative, and was able to solve my problem after a number of phone conversations and attempts to explain that the antenna needed to be replaced. I learned that you have to be positive, patient, persistent, and try not to get too upset with their lack of awareness about the importance of customer satisfaction.

Mike

Last edited by mfshook62 : 04-01-2012 at 05:27 PM.
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  #7  
Old 03-31-2012, 05:08 PM
Flybuddy2's Avatar
Flybuddy2 Flybuddy2 is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Fort Myers
Posts: 370
Default

Thx guys. I was trying to decide which one to buy at
Sun n Fun. Ameriking and ACK we're at the same price
point ( about 570). I have an Ameriking 121 which is not
working so it's an easier install but the ACK has a GPS input
After reading this I bought the ACK.
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  #8  
Old 04-03-2015, 12:18 PM
Dan B Dan B is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Edmond, OK
Posts: 194
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dan B View Post
I purchased my AK-451 ELT in Dec 2010 from Aircraft Spurce and installed it in Jan 2011. It has a two year warranty. I have done periodic tests about every 3 months. It failed to test in Feb 2012 during my condition inspection. The unit is dead, no indicator test light and no transmission on 121.5.

Lesson learned: Test your ELT on a regular basis, even if new.

Side note: After phone call to Ameri-King, ELT was shipped to them for repair. I have had several conversations with them since shipping the ELT. English is not the first language at the Ameri-King phone number. Communication has been difficult with the personnel at Ameri-King due to a language barrier. They will not let you talk to a supervisor, you can only e-mail the manager at the company address. Aircraft Spruce has contacted them on my behalf to get the unit returned. Supposedly, unit was shipped back to me Mar 9. Something doesn't smell right here!
Update April 2015: During the condition inspection, I found that the Ameri-King 451 ELT power has failed test again. Battery replacement was due Feb 2016. When I removed the ELT, I found that a corner of the battery pack case had formed a vertical crack from the attachment screw to the bottom of the battery pack case. This ELT is 5 years old. I refuse to deal with the Ameri-King service people in Huntington Beach, CA again. No more Ameri-King ELT in my airplane. ACK 406 is on order!
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Dan Burdette
Skyview, ADS-B, Garmin 420W, TT Gemini AP
RV-9A, IO-320, E-Mag
Guthrie-Edmond Rgnl, OK (KGOK)
________
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  #9  
Old 04-03-2015, 01:32 PM
Canadian_JOY Canadian_JOY is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 2,291
Default

This is once again an example of "you get what you pay for". The Ameri-King 121.5 ELT's had the highest failure rate of any I've seen, and this has been corroborated by two shops who deal in a large volume of ELT recertifications (mandatory on an annual basis in Canada). Both shops predicted the same poor reliability would follow with Ameri-King's 406 product, and they now indicate that prediction has become reality.

For what it's worth, none of the Kannad ELT's I've installed have experienced a failure of any sort. Several are now past their first battery replacement cycle, so are more than 5 years old, and still going strong. I only wish I received some sort of commission for sharing this kind of good news with other aviators! :-)

Again, you get what you pay for. Most of us will spend an extra few bucks to buy leak-proof tubes for our tires, but won't spend an extra few bucks to get a higher-quality ELT. Caveat emptor.
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  #10  
Old 04-03-2015, 04:12 PM
Bill Boyd's Avatar
Bill Boyd Bill Boyd is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Landing field "12VA"
Posts: 1,530
Default Hi, there...

...I see you've met Victor - at least on the phone.

I'd trash the ELT and consider it tuition in the school of hard knocks. BTDT, even threw out the Tee-shirt.

-Stormy
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