I finally pulled the airplane out of the hanger after 3 years of sitting!

[PA1195]

Re: I finally pulled the airplane out of the hanger after 3 years of sitting!

Tim and Scott have motivated me to have my mechanic look over my ELT. It's an ACK on a behind the rear baggage platform. Each annual the bulkhead has been removed and the ELT tested per ICW. There's a squeaker unit that makes a noise next to it when the panel test button is pushed, but I never really read the install manual until now. I have a Garmin GPS and it says they can be connected to give location as part of the periodic 406 upload to the Sats. My install doesn't look as well done as Scotts so I better have that checked as this thread develops.

Tim get flying and take some pics OK?

Gary

[Guest]

Re: I finally pulled the airplane out of the hanger after 3 years of sitting!

I think that AD is on AmeriKing elts.

[3Dreaming]

Re: I finally pulled the airplane out of the hanger after 3 years of sitting!

Presumably conductive (aluminum?). Isolated means whatever you want until it doesn't. That's why ACK puts an activator switch on the panel so you can SOS before the occurrence while still upright for an external antenna. Conductive surface or capacitive reactance from adjacent conductive particles can attenuate signals. Without an actual RF propagation test via online commercial vendors that will access the Sats for your signal it's a guess. You're choice. Not mine and a few others apparently. And to save what...appearance? Placing the antenna in front of the vertical stabilizer reduces potential damage.

Gary

ACK along with all the other manufacturers place the switch in the panel, because it is required by the current TSO. An earlier TSO did not require the panel mounted switch, but all new installations must meet the TSO as called out in CFR 91.207.

As a side note one of the manufactures of 406 ELT's, and I don't remember which one, stated that if one of their ELT's went off sitting on the shelf in a metal building without an antena attached, the satellite would still pick up the signal.

[3Dreaming]

Re: I finally pulled the airplane out of the hanger after 3 years of sitting!

oh and as an afterthought, the ACK 450 has an AD on it because ACK didn't follow their own quality control manual when manufacturing.

There are no AD's that I am aware of on any ACK ELT's. The AD you are referring to is for Ameri King ELT's AK-450 and AK-451 ELT's

[Scott]

Re: I finally pulled the airplane out of the hanger after 3 years of sitting!

Tim
We must be crosswired on the loading requirements or something.

Sideload spec is 7.5g. I think the elt weighs 1.3 pounds so that's less than 10# Sideload.

The elt is mounted to a "U" channel with the shelf on top to forma box section about .75" tall. There's no way 10# or even 100# is going to fold that over, even without the additional bracing of the additional channel at the inboard side. The photos maybe don't adequately show the configuration.

The internal antenna thing is one of those "fear of the unknown" things perhaps.
A guy mounts an external antenna on an inadequate ground plane, like a wing root panel, and nobody bats an eye, but an extended debate ensues for internally mounted antennae even when the manufacturer of the transmitter says its good. There are many legitimate reasons for internally mounted antennae on tube and fabric aircraft of which appearance is only one. As has been pointed out UHF at 406mhz and five times the output power will prevail in the end, especially through an intact antenna that was protected during the crash because it was mounted within the structure.

Let's hope we never need to test these things for real but I'm comfortable I've done what i can to increase my success probabilities.

[PA1195]

Re: I finally pulled the airplane out of the hanger after 3 years of sitting!

The reality now is a SPOT or inReach portable sitting on the panel, in a vest pocket, or wherever signals are optimized. Spidertracks if you can afford the system. Satellite phone in the survival gear vest we wear. SOS, GPS, Coms-text, and one button push from a Sat alert. We all use ELT's because it's required. We carry the rest because it works.

Gary

[Guest]

Re: I finally pulled the airplane out of the hanger after 3 years of sitting!

I am getting ready to install the ELT in an airplane and started reading the installation manual for an ACK 406.

Mostly I was looking for antenna info but read this;

The ELT shall be mounted to primary load-carrying structures such as trusses, bulkheads,
longerons, spars, or floor beams. (not aircraft skin) The mounts shall have a maximum
static local deflection no greater than 2.5mm (0.1 inch) when a force of 450 newton's (100
lbs.) is applied to the mount in the most flexible direction. Deflection measurements shall

be made with reference to another part of the airframe not less than 0.3 meter (1 foot) nor
more than 1.0 meter (3 feet) from the mounting location. After selecting a suitable location
meeting all of the above requirements.

I attached the .pdf with that part highlighted between page 2 and 3.

Dave

[astjp2]

Re: I finally pulled the airplane out of the hanger after 3 years of sitting!

Dave, That is part of the TSO from what I can tell, EBC has the same requirement. Tim

[Guest]

Re: I finally pulled the airplane out of the hanger after 3 years of sitting!

I think that you had the spec. correct before.

I recall at one point you thought it was not correct.

Loioks like you had it right, now I have to rig up a mount to place mine but it will be easy. I found a nice solid area of 7/8" tubing on the Champ and it makes nice triangles that are stiff in 3 dimensions. No clamps, have welded on tabs to fasten to.

Antenna is the pain, considering mounting it in the rear window at the baggage sling area. Hardly blocks the view, is many inches from any tubing and can be easily grounded to the tube frame by making a mounting bracket that screws into one of the flat baggage sling structures.

[astjp2]

Re: I finally pulled the airplane out of the hanger after 3 years of sitting!

I just uploaded the ELT ac91-44a

http://vb.taylorcraft.org/showthread.php?12293-ELT-advisory-circular&p=99613#post99613

[astjp2]

Re: I finally pulled the airplane out of the hanger after 3 years of sitting!

I just uploaded the ELT ac91-44a

http://vb.taylorcraft.org/showthread.php?12293-ELT-advisory-circular&p=99613#post99613

[SpecialT]

Re: I finally pulled the airplane out of the hanger after 3 years of sitting!

8.1.1 Inadvertent activation of ELT systems is a serious problem that expends resources and
can divert equipment and manpower away from real emergencies...

Any thoughts on interpreting the regulations for flying aerobatics with an ELT installed? Single place aircraft are exempt? You didn't like Scott's mount, but would you sign off an aerobatic plane with no ELT?

[astjp2]

Re: I finally pulled the airplane out of the hanger after 3 years of sitting!

YES, but it is restricted to within 50 nm from the airport per the FAR's. Most aerobatic aircraft don't have enough fuel onboard to go more than 20 miles, practice and make it home with the required reserve...the extra fuel is really not available because their tanks are so small in real aerobatic aircraft. Tim

[SpecialT]

Re: I finally pulled the airplane out of the hanger after 3 years of sitting!

I wonder if this guy had and ELT or PLB with him when he was flying his Taylorcraft around the country? Radio?