NCO.IDE.H.170 Emergency locator transmitter (ELT)

BATTERIES

(a)All batteries used in ELTs or PLBs should be replaced (or recharged, if the battery is rechargeable) when the equipment has been in use for more than 1 cumulative hour or in the following cases:

(1)Batteries specifically designed for use in ELTs and having an airworthiness release certificate (EASA Form 1 or equivalent) should be replaced (or recharged, if the battery is rechargeable) before the end of their useful life in accordance with the maintenance instructions applicable to the ELT.

(2)Standard batteries manufactured in accordance with an industry standard and not having an airworthiness release certificate (EASA Form 1 or equivalent), when used in ELTs should be replaced (or recharged, if the battery is rechargeable) when 50 % of their useful life (or for rechargeable, 50 % of their useful life of charge), as established by the battery manufacturer, has expired.

(3)All batteries used in PLBs should be replaced (or recharged, if the battery is rechargeable) when 50 % of their useful life (or for rechargeable, 50 % of their useful life of charge), as established by the battery manufacturer, has expired.

(4)The battery useful life (or useful life of charge) criteria in (1),(2) and (3) do not apply to batteries (such as water-activated batteries) that are essentially unaffected during probable storage intervals.

(b)The new expiry date for a replaced (or recharged) battery should be legibly marked on the outside of the equipment.

TYPES OF ELT AND GENERAL TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

(a)The ELT required by this provision should be one of the following:

(1)Automatic fixed (ELT(AF)). An automatically activated ELT that is permanently attached to an aircraft and is designed to aid SAR teams in locating the crash site.

(2)Automatic portable (ELT(AP)). An automatically activated ELT that is rigidly attached to an aircraft before a crash, but is readily removable from the aircraft after a crash. It functions as an ELT during the crash sequence. If the ELT does not employ an integral antenna, the aircraft-mounted antenna may be disconnected and an auxiliary antenna (stored on the ELT case) attached to the ELT. The ELT can be tethered to a survivor or a life-raft. This type of ELT is intended to aid SAR teams in locating the crash site or survivor(s).

(3)Automatic deployable (ELT(AD)). An ELT that is rigidly attached to the aircraft before the crash and that is automatically deployed and activated by an impact, and, in some cases, also by water sensors. This type of ELT should float in water and is intended to aid SAR teams in locating the crash site. The ELT(AD) may be either a stand-alone beacon or an inseparable part of a deployable recorder.

(4)Survival ELT (ELT(S)). An ELT that is removable from an aircraft, stowed so as to facilitate its ready use in an emergency, and manually activated by a survivor. An ELT(S) may be activated manually or automatically (e.g. by water activation). It should be designed either to be tethered to a life-raft or a survivor. A water-activated ELT(S) is not an ELT(AP).

(b)To minimise the possibility of damage in the event of crash impact, the automatic ELT should be rigidly fixed to the aircraft structure, as far aft as is practicable, with its antenna and connections arranged so as to maximise the probability of the signal being transmitted after a crash.

(c)Any ELT carried should operate in accordance with the relevant provisions of ICAO Annex 10, Volume III, and should be registered with the national agency responsible for initiating search and rescue or other nominated agency.

PLB TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

(a)A personal locator beacon (PLB) should have a built-in GNSS receiver with a cosmicheskaya sistyema poiska avariynich sudov — search and rescue satellite-aided tracking (COSPAS-SARSAT) type approval number. However, devices with a COSPAS-SARSAT number belonging to series 700 are excluded as this series of numbers identifies the special-use beacons not meeting all the technical requirements and all the tests specified by COSPAS-SARSAT.

(b)Any PLB carried should be registered with the national agency responsible for initiating search and rescue or other nominated agency.

BRIEFING ON PLB USE When a PLB is carried by a passenger, he/she should be briefed on its characteristics and use by the pilot-in-command before the flight.

TERMINOLOGY

GM1 CAT.IDE.H.280 contains explanations of terms used in point NCO.IDE.H.170 and in the related AMC.