(Instructor: Vinay Singh, Email: airdreamer.airbus320@gmail.

com ,Mo: 08108304735)

 SYNOPSIS : ELT

Introduction
 ELT’s are Distress beacon on board airplanes to facilitate accurate location and timely
rescue operation in event of any distress situation of an aircraft.
 As on 1st February 2009, all ELT must operate on frequencies 406MHz and 121.5MHz.
 ELT which operate solely on 121.5MHz or 243 MHz are now obsolete. The reason
behind discarding 121.5MHz ELT is that they have 97% false alarm rate. Besides this,
they activate in only 12% of the crashes and provide no identification data.
 Inorder to fix these problems,406MHz ELT were developed to work specifically with
COSPAS-SARSAT Search and Rescue(SAR) system. 406MHz beacon are highly
sophisticated because of inclusion of digitally coded unique identification information
in the beacon message, including location of distress site based on GPS. The only
disadvantage with 406MHz ELT is that it is highly expensive.

ELT UNIT.

 ELT Unit consist of :- 1. Three position switch-ARM/OFF/ON.

2. Red Indicator.
3. Connector for remote panel, interface and programming
equipment.
4. Connector for antenna.
Remote Control Panel.

 A panel in the cockpit with the following controls to monitor the status and control the
ELT by pilot is available:
1. Three position switch-ON/ARMED/RESET & TEST
2. Red or Amber visual indicator.
3. Beeper-not available in all installations.

Working Modes.
 OFF : As in this position , no part of the unit is energized, this mode must only be
selected for maintenance purpose, removal or during a long time parking.
 ARM : This mode is mandatory during flight to enable automatic activation by G-switch
or manual operation at remote control panel. Both the panel and G-switch are energized
only when selection is on ARM position at ELT.
 SELF TEST : To be used as a temporary mode for maximum 5 seconds for detailed
testing purposes. Switches on ELT and remote control panel must be selected to ARM &
ARMED position respectively. The check shall only be conducted during the first 5 mins
of any UTC hour and restricted to not more than 5 seconds. The ATC should also be
notified.
 ON : This selection is possible at Transmitter unit, on remote panel and automatic
operation when a crash occurs. In the latter two cases, ELT should be in ARM position.

Unintentional Activation.
 In case of unintentional activation of ELT, manually reset it by selecting switch to OFF
on ELT.
 Can also be carried out on remote control panel by selection to RESET & TEST provided
the switch is on ARM position on ELT.
 Regulations require intimation to ATC unit if such an event occurs.
COSPAS-SARSAT Concept

 COSPAS-SARSAT is an international humanitarian satellite-based Search and Rescue

(SAR) system that has saved more than 25000 lives since its inception in 1979. It is best
known as the system that detects and locates the emergency beacons activated by
downed aircraft (fitted with ELT), Ship(fitted with EPIRB), or an individual in distress
having activated PLB.
 COSPAS is a Russian word meaning “space system for the search of vessel in distress”.
SARSAT: acronym for Search And Rescue Satellite-Aided Tracking.

Operation of ELT

 On activation of an emergency beacon in event of grave and imminent danger to lives at

risk, the alert signals are received by the satellites.
 LUT’s located worldwide automatically receive the retransmitted signals from satellites.
LUT’S locate the beacon by measuring the Doppler shift caused by motion of satellite
with respect to beacon.
 From LUT’s alert signals are relayed to MCC which further alerts to appropriate RCC. If
the alert is in an area covered by foreign MCC, then that MCC is alerted and in turn
notify its own RCC.
 The RCC then begins the actual search and rescue operation.
 The SAR service in India is organized by AAI in collaboration with Ministry of Defence.
The area of responsibility extends over entire Indian Territory as well as airspace over
high seas encompassing FIR’s of Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi & Guwahati.
 In addition to the Armed forces along with Indian Coast Guard, all other Central & State
Government departments, district administration, civil organizations and their
resources may be used for SAR purposes.

Other Useful Information

 Once activated, a digital message is transmitted on 406 MHz every 50 secs interval, only
for the first 24 hours of operation. This is to preserve the battery life as this
transmission is at higher power. The message may either be identification or may also
include the airplane’s position if interfaced with on board navigation equipment.
Continuous operation on 121.5 MHz and 243 MHz at low power is maintained
throughout after the activation.
 The transmitter may be designed to transmit on all three distress frequencies (121.5
MHz, 243 MHz and 406 MHz) or the old types may be upgraded to 406 MHz
transmissions. Basic emergency frequencies of 121.5 MHz and 243 MHz are being used
for homing in the final stages of the rescue only.
 Battery used in ELT is a Lithium Battery. The battery should be replaced after every six
years. Though ELT is required to transmit for atleast 72 hours, its battery is capable of
operating the transmitter for close to 100 hours.
 ELT used for aeronautical applications is certified to withstand impact and crash,
resistance to flame, G shocks (100 to 500 G) ,water tightness and extreme temperature
ranges (-20° to 55° for more than 48 hours).
 Weight of ELT is around 2 kg.
 The digital message transmitted by 406MHz beacon contains:-
1. which country the beacon originates from
2. a unique 15-digit hexadecimal beacon identification code.
3. Encoded identification of aircraft in distress, either the aircraft’s
registration or its ICAO 24-bit address (same as Mode-S of ATC
Transponder)
4. A GPS position
5. Operator’s Designator (Serialized number upto 4096)
6. Whether or not beacon contains 121.5 MHz “Homer”.
 COSPAS-SARSAT SAR system is capable of fixing position of distress beacon which
transmits on 406 MHz only.