2. Search And Rescue Satellite Aided Tracking System How much is your life worth? Consider getting a 406 MHz ELT for your aircraft

4. 3 Beacon Segment until 2009 Two types: 121.5/243 MHz and 406 MHz Three applications: -Emergency Position Indication Radio Beacons (EPIRB) for Maritime Uses -Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELT) for Aviation Uses - Personal Locator Beacons (PLB) for Remote Area Recreational users, aviators.

5. 4 121.5 MHz Termination Date 1 Feb 2009 – Receivers on space craft will be shut off 121.5 MHz ELTs will no longer be picked up by the satellite systems

6. 5 121.5 MHz Beacons Older technologyOlder technology Not designed for satellite processing (no store & forward capability) Analog signal only = no identification code Does not have global coverage! Low power ( < 1 watt) Less rigid standards Poor location accuracy = Usually no better than 12 miles = 450 SQUARE MILE SEARCH AREA USMCC handles 250-400 ‘hits’ per day. 99.9% are false!! -Only 1 in 8 alerts come from beacons. The rest are ATM machines, pizza ovens, and even stadium scoreboards! -High false alert rate makes first-alert launch unfeasible…

7. 6 406 MHz Beacons New technologyNew technology Designed for satellite processing Digital signal w/ unique identification code Improved location accuracy Global coverage! Increased power ( 5 watt) Integral 121.5 MHz homing signal (low power) 5+ year lithium battery Mandatory registration (no cost) With registration information, improved location accuracy, and quicker detection times, beacon alerts can be responded to faster by search and rescue units

8. 7 406 MHz with GPS Beacons with Navigation (GPS) Input Improved location accuracy Instantaneous detection AND location! Search Time = 12+ hours Search Time = 2 - 3 hours Search Time = Minimal 121.5 MHz 406 MHz 406 MHz with GPS

9. 8 121.5 MHz Beacon Location Accuracy = 12nm Search Area = 452nm 2 406.025 MHz Beacon Location Accuracy = 2.0 nm Search Area = 12.5 nm 2 406MHz Location Accuracy Search Area Reduced By A Factor Of 45 Times 406 MHz Beacon w/ GPS Location Accuracy = 0.21 nm Search Area = 0.15 nm 2

10. 9 ELTs are designed specifically for use aboard aircraft All ELTs have automatic (G-force/Crush force) and manual activation modes Emergency Locator Transmitter Mandated carriage on most General Aviation and Business Jets. Automatically notify Federal rescue forces

11. 10 Personal Locator Beacons Not a substitute for an ELT but authorized as additional equipment Designed for outdoor Enthusiasts – Aviators, hikers, hunters, climbers, boaters, … – Manual activation only – Automatically notify Federal rescue forces

12. Update on US carriage requirements DOI, NTSB, USAF, NOAA, USCG have all asked FAA to disallow 121.5 MHz ELTS as satisfying carriage requirement FCC introducing rulemaking to disallow any new 121.5 beacons FAA conducting Cost Benefit analysis associated with retrofit in GA aircraft – Results due out end of July 2008

13. Update on International carriage requirements Canada – Mandated carriage of a 406 ELT or equivalent on all Canadian Aircraft and all aircraft coming into or transiting Canada by 1 Feb 2009 currently in approval process Mexico – Mandated carriage of 406 ELTs by 1 July 2008. Allowance for 121.5 MHz until 1 July 2009 or until the current battery needs to be replaced, which ever happens 1st

14. How will we find you after 1 Feb 2009 If you stay with an older 121.5 beacon?

15. 14 FL 39000 600 Mile Diameter ELT Report to AFRCC 1. First Heard 2. Strongest 3. Last Heard 4. Altitude ARTCC Collects ELT reports & forwards reports to the AFRCC Airborne reports – if anyone is listening?

16. 15 FL 39000 FL 10000 600 Mile Diameter 150 Mile Diameter X Airborne reports – if anyone is listening?

17. Ground report - 121.5 MHz monitoring gaps

18. 17 Time is always a factor

19. 18 No communications 30 minutes after ETA to a compulsory reporting point. IFR Flight Plan

20. 19 No communications 30 minutes after ETA to destination. VFR Flight Plan

21. 20 NO Flight Plan (80% of General Aviation) Reliable source reports aircraft is 1 hour overdue at destination.

22. 21 Timeline Review Distress? Flight plan expires INREQPreCom ALNOTExCom MISSIONActiveSearch Location ? 30-60 Min 1 Hour < 2 Hours ? Page 3-B-6

23. 22 Survival Statistics (from AFRCC records) 100 Crash Victims 35 SURVIVE THE CRASH 21 Injured - 4 Survivors after 24 hours 14 Uninjured - 7 Survivors after 3 days - Chances for survival RAPIDLY diminish after 3 DAYS !

24. 23 TOTAL MISSIONS LKP TO NOTIFICATION RCC NOTIFICATION TO LOCATION LKP TO LOCATION NO FLIGHT PLAN VFR FLIGHT PLAN IFR FLIGHT PLAN 24 15.5547.02 62.57 22 3.8614.27 18.13 33 1.0710.47 11.54 AVERAGE NOTIFICATION TIMELINE *SOURCE: 2003 AFRCC AIRCRAFT MISSIONS

25. 24 AVERAGE NOTIFICATION TIMELINE TOTAL MISSIONS LKP TO NOTIFICATION RCC NOTIFICATION TO LOCATION LKP TO LOCATION ELT WORKING 23 3.3010.87 14.17 ELT NOT WORKING 110 11.8054.08 65.88 *SOURCE: 2003 AFRCC AIRCRAFT MISSIONS

26. It is not that easy! See if you can spot the wreckage

27. 26

28. 27

29. 28

30. 29

31. Rutland, VT

34. Green Valley, CA

35. Willow Creek, CO

40. From AOPA Pilot July 1999 by Thomas Home “In flight Emergencies -------”

41. Questions? Please visit the NOAA SARSAT website below for more information or to register your SARSAT beacon NOAA SARSAT: www.sarsat.noaa.govwww.sarsat.noaa.gov Beacon Registration: www.beaconregistration.noaa.govwww.beaconregistration.noaa.gov