All the more reason to have a GA fan ( and Coupe owner) in Congress, which I'm trying hard to do. Check out http://edmishou.com and join me in my effort. I obviously need all the help I can get to ensure more intrusions like this don't happen and our SP privileges sustain. Ed
________________________________ From: Caliendo Dan <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Wed, June 23, 2010 5:48:03 PM Subject: Re: [ercoupe-tech] 121.5 ELT's Well written, Tommy. Dan C On Jun 23, 2010, at 5:40 PM, JThomas Terry wrote: > > >After a couple of days, there doesn’t seem to be much new information on the >supposed banning of 121.5 ELTs in August. The FCC, as far as I know at this >time, has not denied the alleged ban, but they have not admitted it either. >Either way, I really do not think it can be done quite as quickly as the first >reports indicated. Given the lack of comment by the FCC, I feel that they are >up to something. With that in mind, I wrote the following letter to the FCC. >I’m sure it isn’t perfect but feel free to use it as is or as food for thought >to write your own. >Tommy >N93929 > > > >Chairman Julius Genachowski >Federal Communications Commission >445 12th Street SW >Washington, DC 20554 > >Sir: >Recent reports concerning the FCC’s decision to prohibit use of Emergency >Locator Transmitters on 121.5 MHz are alarming. We all know that these ELTs >are not tremendously dependable or accurate and I do not think anyone will >argue that the potential of the 406 MHz Elts promises to be far superior. >However, the reports being circulated, and to my knowledge not denied by your >agency, are indicating a very short time for the retirement of the 121.5 >ELTs. Sir, this is not practical in many aspects: > 1. Production and delivery. >Can the manufacturers of the 406 ELTs produce 100,000 units in time to meet >the rumored retirement date of August? > 2. Installation. >Given the down turn in general aviation maintenance facilities; can 100,000 >units be installed by the retirement date? > 3. Cost. >Currently an ELT operating on 121.5 MHz can be bought for as little as >$200.00. However, the cheapest 406 MHz ELT I have personally been able to >locate will cost approximately $800.00 by the time it is delivered and another >$200 for installation. This is a minimum cost of $1000.00 for each and every >general aviation aircraft in the country. This will mean an outlay of >approximately $100000000.00 (One Hundred Million Dollars) from a segment of >our economy that is already struggling if not dying. If so, to what or who’s >benefit? > 4. Triple frequency units. >In recent years there have been many triple frequency units sold and >installed. These units operate on 121.5 MHz, 243.0 MHz, and 406 MHz. Does >this new regulation ban those new units because they transmit on 121.5? > 5. Search equipment. >Who will be responsible for re-equipping all search aircraft and ground teams >with new radio signal direction finding equipment? > 6. Reliability. >Even with all of its short comings and problems 121.5 or some other ground >based and ground searched signal must be maintained. As good as the satellite >systems are; there are times and places where the satellites just cannot be >“seen.” >Even when the 121.5MHz ELT’s were being monitored by satellite, many signals >were reported by other aircraft that were later or never heard by the >satellites. >On the subject of cost: Does the FCC plan on issuing vouchers for the >replacement units, similar to those issued for television converters boxes? >That is only logical since this change will apparently be mandated without any >concern for those it affects. Personally, I would be willing to meet half way >as my ELT is not new and I would eventually have to replace it anyhow. > >All things considered, from my perspective and probably that of about 600,000 >others; this new proposal is extremely short-sighted and it is clear your >commission has not thought this new regulation completely through. Please do >not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions concerning my comments. > > > > > > > > >Copies: >Hon. Henry Cuellar, U.S. House of Representatives >Mr. Craig Fuller, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association >Mr. Tom Poberezny, Experimental Aircraft Association >Mr. Skip Carden, Ercoupe Owners Club >Commissioner Michael J. Copps >Commissioner Robert McDowell >Commissioner Mignon Clyburn >Commissioner Meredith Attwell Baker > > >
