Operating with out ELT

[martymayes]

I did look up the actual law a while back, and the law itself is intended to remedy exactly what caused the problem which originated the law - a non-scheduled commercial flight that went down and was subsequently unable to be located in a reasonable amount of time.

I think the fact that 2 congressmen were on board and the publicity surrounding the disappearance was mostly responsible for driving a knee-jerk reaction from Washington.

In the late 60's and early '70's a number of airplanes were lost over the contiguous states that were not found for months, sometimes years, sometimes never. Not really any major and immediate rule changes came about from that. Even since the ELT rule there is no guarantee that a plane will be found in a "reasonable amount of time" just because it has an ELT installed (please insert exhibit A, Steve Fossett). It may improve the odds of being found but so does filing and following a flight plan. Anyway, knee-jerk reactions continue today, after all, isn't that what TSA is all about? Anytime a politician can sieze the opportunity to protect us......

[WLIU]

This is the get out of jail free card with the FAA ->"However, the FAA Chief Counsel wrote an opinion on 5-6-81 for an operator and that opinion states 'if a tow plane is used to tow a glider to altitude for release then returns to the same airport as he departed, that tow plane is engaged in a "training operation" within the meaning of the reg' and not required to have an ELT."

I have a couple of these letters regarding flying skydivers and doing acro that were the result of sporting organizations requesting official opinions. Individual FAA inspectors must treat these letters as official guidance from their headquarters. But you need to have a copy of the letter handy and an appropriately confused attitude when an FAA inspector questions your operation.

Fly safe,

Wes
N78PS

[Mike M]

This isn't about me, it's about the regulations.

so it was a pointless troll to see who could come up with the most stupid answer. got it.

[Bill Berson]

More trivia regarding Hale Boggs

Some more trivia for Marty....

Alaska's single congressman Nick Begich was lost in the airplane with Boggs. Begich was replaced by an unknown guy from the Alaska bush named Don Young. Young is still Alaska's congressman today and is aviation friendly.
Alaska's senator Ted Stevens was in a Lear Jet crash at Anchorage International airport (now Ted Stevens International). His wife died in the Lear crash. More recently, Stevens was killed in a single engine Dehavilland Otter in Alaska. I don't think the ELT worked in this case.

And congressman Nick Begich had a son who now holds the senate seat held by senator Ted Stevens. (Stevens re-election was hampered by a court case that was later reversed).