AOPA opposes FCC rule that would outlaw 121.5 MHz ELTs

June 22, 2010 at 12:43 pm | Posted in Aviation Law Current Event | Leave a comment

by Sara M. Langston with the blog faculty

Source: AOPA

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) June 15 released the notice of a rule prohibiting the “certification, manufacture, importation, sale, or continued use of 121.5 MHz ELTs.” The rule would suddenly make aircraft that are in full compliance with the federal aviation regulations in violation of federal communications law.

“At this time, we caution anyone against purchasing a new ELT until this issue is resolved,” said AOPA Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Rob Hackman. “There’s a lot of misunderstanding at this time as to the status of this rule. As verified by the FCC, the rule has not been published in the Federal Register, and thereby no effective date can be determined. This provides AOPA and the general aviation industry the opportunity to address our concerns with the FCC and potentially influence the outcome.”…more