We understand an ELT is mandatory in Kenya for newly registered aircraft (we’re bringing in a 182 from S.Africa).
Choice seems to be Kannad 406 or Artex. As far as I can see Kannad includes GPS, but Artex doesn’t, so former looks the best choice.
However, running into problems with pre-export programming (self or factory?), and courier delivery (hazardous goods restriction).
I’ve been through the 19-page ELT thread, but advice would be appreciated.
The first thing is that I think you could ship the unit under the Miscellaneous goods ( life saving equipment ) regulation. This enables things like life rafts ( pressurised gas & pyrotechnics hazards ) to be shipped at the lowest risk category, check the IATA dangerous goods regulations on line. If an ELT was shipped inside a liferaft it would not be a problem.
I have fitted both Kannad and Artex units, both are high quality products. The labour input to fit is almost the same, as both units require a control panel on the instrument panel so a cable run is required , the Artex requires one more wire, a screened single core data cable that has to be attached to the aircraft GPS at an RS232 out port ( aviation ) and the screen grounded at both the Artex and the GPS backshell.
I did find the DIN plug supplied with the Kannad to be very difficult to attach the wires to as it is far the poorest quality part ofthe kit and eventually spent a few £ on a high quality DIN plug for the three units I fitted , buying the high quality plug saves so much time that I would not bother with the plug supplied.
The Artex kit worked right out of the box with no hardware problems.
I realy can’t recommend one unit over the other so I would think that price and availability would drive your decision .
This is not current but not a lot changes on this scene…
Whether the GPS connection is worth a lot of trouble depends… a 406MHz unit will get a fix which is pretty accurate and well within the range of the search vehicle’s 121.50 VDF. In Europe very few people have the GPS input wired.
Peter, I’m astounded that people don’t attach the GPS data to the ELT, clearly spending a few quid is not a top priority………….. unless you are up to your neck in North Sea , and then it’s too late.
I think the key is the average installation age. Historically there was a significant cost increment for GPS – if available at all. I did my 406MHz installation soon after I went N-reg in 2005 and the GPS option was difficult then, and I am not inclined to do more work on it now. One has to remember that running the extra wires, in avionics shop labour, could easily take all day and cost a few hundred. I once paid a UK shop 500 quid for 1 wire, about 2m long… Also many people don’t want the shop to take half the plane to bits (remove trim etc all the way the length to run the wiring). Whereas a non-GPS 406MHz ELT can be installed independently of anything else in the aircraft, if it already has the wiring for the ELT switch.
If I was doing a new ELT install now I would probably go for the GPS version.
Thanks for the detailed info.
Isn’t the Kannad’s internal GPS a major advantage?
In an emergency, the Kannad would generate a final position pretty close to the ‘crash’ site. The Artex’s final position would. depend on the last position generated by the aircraft’s GPS, which, in the case of electrical failure, could be several (many?) miles in error.
Or have I got that wrong?
3greens
You are correct about the major advantage of the Kannad vs Artex in the electrical failure mode but the Artex price reflects the lack of GPS in the unit.
Thanks A_and_C, I guess a couple of hundred £ or € isn’t much for a better chance of being found quicker, or, at all, in case of an accident.
There’s mention of a Kannad dongle for programming the unit. Is that something the end-user can employ? The Kannad manual implies it’s a 2-min job.
Can the relevant IATA Dangerous Goods regs. be checked without coughing up $199?
I did not get into the dongle programming as I understand this is so you can change ELT units between aircraft by keeping the dongle with the unit fitted to the aircraft. I just got Adams aviation to program my Kannad units for the individual aircraft.
If it is the Kannad unit you are buying then I would recommend Adams aviation as they will program the unit for your aircraft and I would guess they are experts on shipping so may solve your shipping issues.
I do have access to the IATA dangerous goods books but that is at work and I don’t expect to be there for a week or two .
Worth a mention (and done here previously) that if you buy an ELT from the US by mail order (as many have done – they are cheaper) then Adams et al may not be able to program it.
But also they/you don’t need to program it. For example I have always had a US ELT registered with the NOAA in the US, not in the UK. It makes no difference to what happens upon activation.
You just need to make sure that the supplier (wherever he is) programs your tail number (aircraft reg) into the ELT.
