ELT recommendations

[beeryboats]

I saw that one advertised at Wicks and Spruce. A little expensive to say the least. If I were flying in Alaska, or anywhere with any kind of wilderness, I'm sure it's worth it's weight in gold. Here in Indiana, the flattest place on earth, it's hard to get out of sight of humanity. I'm looking for reasonable safety with a reasonable price. I thought that 406mhz would have come down a lot by now. I'm really starting to wonder about the builder now. How did he get away with not installing an ELT in the first place? Did the inspector think he would always be in training within 50 miles of his home airport?

[Flybyjim]

I bought a standard ELT and put money into a SPOT devise, I can use this anywhere as long as I can activate it.

[PapuaPilot]

I got the ACK E-04 and think it is the best value for a 406 ELT. It is one of the least expensive 406 ELTs including the cost of the replacement battery ($/yr). It doesn't have a built in GPS, but you can input GPS data to it via a RS-232 wire.

I mounted mine in the tail because of my heavy engine. It's a tight fit behind the trim jackscrew, but it does fit.

[Paul Z]

I got the ACK E-04 and think it is the best value for a 406 ELT. It is one of the least expensive 406 ELTs including the cost of the replacement battery ($/yr). It doesn't have a built in GPS, but you can input GPS data to it via a RS-232 wire.

I mounted mine in the tail because of my heavy engine. It's a tight fit behind the trim jackscrew, but it does fit.

I would highly recommend putting in the remote ELT switch. If you have a non emergency hard landing you may be pressed to remove the fairing to reset the ELT. I had a bad landing in a cross wind and mine was behind the seat, it was a Pain in the rear trying to figure out the best way to open the baggage area to hit the reset switch.

[N981MS]

I believe all new installations require an indicator/switch in front of or visible to the pilot. I am near certain that was true circa 2003 when we completed our S6.

[Paul Z]

My Kitfox SLSA 2009 did not come with one. I have since added it.

[mr bill]

This is how I mounted mine to the fuselage tubing to the rear of the baggage compartment. The ELT and Com antennas are mounted in the vertical stab and the switch is on the instrument panel. The tubing clamps are made of steel.

[beeryboats]

I sent an email to the builder last night about the elt. He told me one was installed at first, but he later removed it for his next build project. He included a photo which explained the odd, empty, mount bracket behind the baggage compartment. My question now is on the regs. It states that "new" installations must be with a 406mhz radio. If I put the same make and model elt back in the same bracket, does that still count as a "new" install?

I don't want to give the impression of being cavalier about safety, but here in western Indiana we are one big emergency landing field. I mean corn or beans by the square mile only separated by straight roads. But we have enough aviation around that a 121.5 beacon would be heard instantly.

[PapuaPilot]

I would highly recommend putting in the remote ELT switch. If you have a non emergency hard landing you may be pressed to remove the fairing to reset the ELT. I had a bad landing in a cross wind and mine was behind the seat, it was a Pain in the rear trying to figure out the best way to open the baggage area to hit the reset switch.

The ELT came with the remote switch and it's installed in my panel. I am currently working on the panel and electrical system wiring. I just need to add the G3X Touch display and GTR-200 Com to finish the panel.