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12-05-2013, 04:00 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Dunnellon Fl
Posts: 174
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406 vs 121.5/243 ELT
This subject has most likely been discussed to death but can't find it. It's time to buy an ELT. Do I, or will I in the next say 3 years, need a 406 ELT? What about the potential for a flight to the Bahamas? Hope to be inspected in less than a year and fully flying early to mid 2015. Any advice
Thanks
Dan J
__________________
Ka6dan
RV9A
Phase I @ X35 is complete
Paid My 2020 dues. 😃
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12-05-2013, 04:12 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Redmond, WA
Posts: 269
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Get out the popcorn.
My personal opinion, always look forward with technology. I installed 406 maybe 5 years ago in my non-RV plane, and just in the lower maintenance department (longer battery life) it was nice to reduce the population of used batteries on my hangar shelf.
Others might argue that you will be dead anyways, so who cares. I am more optimistic than that. And the satellites don't monitor 121.5.
__________________
-- Mike Culver;
RV-9 project sold  but details of the build at
www.mculver.com
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12-05-2013, 05:03 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Livermore, CA
Posts: 6,797
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mculver
Get out the popcorn.
My personal opinion, always look forward with technology. I installed 406 maybe 5 years ago in my non-RV plane, and just in the lower maintenance department (longer battery life) it was nice to reduce the population of used batteries on my hangar shelf.
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But you have to open it up every year to check for corrosion anyway, so it barely saves any maintenance time. And after 5 years what does that Li-ion battery cost? vs the half dozen C cells I have in my 121.5 unit. (which go right into a flashlight at home, btw).
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12-05-2013, 06:19 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Lake Country, B.C. Canada
Posts: 2,416
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popcorn ready......
since this is in the -9 forum ( no particular reason!?) I'll comment.
In the last handful of incidents, which I make no judgement about, the same proportion of 406 have failed to activate, or were rendered useless by snapped antennae, submersion, fire etc. as the old 121.5 ( a very rough estimation).
So all the features of the 'improved' 406 spec were for naught in these cases.
Perhaps for the other 20%, they were beneficial.
Still no legal requirement to equip light aircraft in Canada, so I am waiting for the cost to come down, or the built-in GPS units to become more prevalent.
(I hear that Transport Canada is writing yet another specification for ELT's, even while procrastinating on implementing the 406 requirement.)
I would lean toward a 121.5 for $150, so they might find the wreckage, ( benefiting the insurance companies or your widow).....and for the live humans, spend my other $800 or so on a good tracking system, whatever flavour might appeal to you; SPOT, deLorme InReach, spidertrax, etc. Each having their own pros & cons of course.
the PLB strapped to your butt is yet another element in a multi-faceted S&R strategy ....In my opinion. 
__________________
Perry Y.
RV-9a - SOLD!....
Lake Country, BC
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12-05-2013, 06:56 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 2,291
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The real benefit of 406 is the satellite monitoring, which does not exist for 121.5. We've had a few incidents recently where the satellite monitoring is what saved the day.
As Perry pointed out, having more than one SAR alerting device is always a good plan.
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12-05-2013, 08:28 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: 57AZ - NW Tucson area
Posts: 10,011
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Quote:
Originally Posted by flyboy1963
since this is in the -9 forum ( no particular reason!?) I'll comment.
In the last handful of incidents, which I make no judgement about, the same proportion of 406 have failed to activate, or were rendered useless by snapped antennae, submersion, fire etc. as the old 121.5 ( a very rough estimation).
So all the features of the 'improved' 406 spec were for naught in these cases.
Perhaps for the other 20%, they were beneficial.
.....
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Beneficial would be much greater accuracy - if hooked up to your GPS - and a quicker response time. Probably worth it since the cost is now down.
Did 80% really fail?
__________________
Gil Alexander
EAA Technical Counselor, Airframe Mechanic
Half completed RV-10 QB purchased
RV-6A N61GX - finally flying
Grumman Tiger N12GA - flying
La Cholla Airpark (57AZ) Tucson AZ
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12-05-2013, 09:14 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Redmond, WA
Posts: 269
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Looks like the entry-level 406 MHz are $589-$600 or so (Aircraft Spruce and also Chief Aircraft)
__________________
-- Mike Culver;
RV-9 project sold  but details of the build at
www.mculver.com
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12-06-2013, 07:01 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Novi, MI & Venice, FL
Posts: 66
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Just a thought from one who has searched for both the 121.5 devices, and the 406 devices. The 121.5 has an accuracy of 10 to 20 miles, meaning someone would have to search that diameter circle to find you. The 406 without the GPS hookup has an accuracy of 1,000 to 3,000 feet. I advocated putting 406's in both our club planes. When one went nose down on a snowy runway at night, our club got a call from the Rescue Center before the pilot could even call. The 406 has lots of data within the signal that the 121.5 does not have.
And I agree with Az. The 406 plus one of the other devices is the way to go. It's all insurance, and insurance on your life is priceless. The faster the first responders can respond, the better off you'll be.
__________________
Rich Bond
Just a wishful observer
Gave up awaiting AOPA/EAA exemption request
2015 =VAF= Contributor
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12-06-2013, 02:28 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: SF East Bay
Posts: 852
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Quote:
Originally Posted by novipilot
I advocated putting 406's in both our club planes. When one went nose down on a snowy runway at night, our club got a call from the Rescue Center before the pilot could even call.
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I have a similar story to demonstrate why you should have a 406. All of the aircraft at work have them. Our normal procedure is to depart and climbing through 10,000' to radio back with an off time and eta to destination. In a jet the time from lift off to 10 isn't much. I was in the office one day and the phone rang. The rescue center was on the line telling us they were picking up the elt near the airport from one of our aircraft that we knew had just departed. About this time they pop up on the radio with the standard off message. We advise the rescue center that we are in comm with the aircraft and everything is fine. We call the aircraft back and have them cycle the elt switch. After everything calmed down we compared the time the rescue center called against them time the aircraft told us it was airborne. There was a two minute window.
__________________
Sam
RV-8 with the Showplanes Fastback conversion
Emp completed except for glass work
Wings completed except for bottom skin and glass work
Fuselage underway
N18451 reserved
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12-06-2013, 03:41 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Dallas/Ft Worth, TX
Posts: 5,686
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For about $400 extra you can get the 406 over the 121, IMO it's money well spent!
__________________
Walt Aronow, DFW, TX (52F)
EXP Aircraft Services LLC
Specializing in RV Condition Inspections, Maintenance, Avionics Upgrades
Dynamic Prop Balancing, Pitot-Static Altmeter/Transponder Certification
FAA Certified Repair Station, AP/IA/FCC GROL, EAA Technical Counselor
Authorized Garmin G3X Dealer/Installer
RV7A built 2004, 1700+ hrs, New Titan IO-370, Bendix Mags
Website: ExpAircraft.com, Email: walt@expaircraft.com, Cell: 972-746-5154
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