Archive for April, 2009
406 MHz Emergency Locator Transmitter are very accurate
If you happen to be considering upgrading to a new 406 ELT, then take a close look at the benefits as compared to the old 121.5 ELT. The 121.5 ELTs are no longer monitored by satellites, the primary means of detection. The new 406 MHz emergency locator transmitters are digital and very accurate. If combined with GPS, they can provide essentially pinpoint accuracy. Even without GPS, the satellites that detect them can get a very localized position and use 121.5 (built into most new 406 ELTs) to home in on the location once rescue crew arrive.
There benefits of the new 406 ELT are really too numerous to list. The accuracy, dependability of activation in event of a crash, high transmit power, and registration to each specific user, make the units essential in any airplane.
The products, called personal locator beacons, “are really devices of last resort,” said the vice president for sales and marketing for A.C.R. Electronics, a leading manufacturer of the beacons, which give lost hikers or stranded climbers a way to alert search-and-rescue teams at the push of a button. That’s because more than half of the people who do turn on his outdoor rescue devices “are at the point of death,” he said, and are otherwise out of options.
After years of being used by private pilots and boaters, the beacons were approved by the FCC for use on land in 2003. But until recently, they have not sold well. The recent spike in demand followed two fatal headline-making events in Oregon last year: the deaths of three climbers on Mount Hood and the death of James Kim, who left his stranded family in the frigid, rugged mountains of southern Oregon to seek help on foot.
Don’t be cought away from help without a personal locator beacon.
SPOT Personal Locator Beacon is great for communication
The SPOT personal locator beacon is a great tool for any occasion that may invovlve being away from immediate public contact. Hiking, hunting, fishing, flying, just about anything you can think of can be perfect for carrying a SPOT PLB. The small size and light weight make it perfect for anyone.
The SPOT personal locator beacon can be used to send and receive text messages anywhere on the planet using satellite signals. Even in the most remote arctic ice cap, deepest jungle, or vast desert, the SPOT personal locator beacon will keep you in contact with anyone in real time with text messaging. Check in at predetermined times to let people know you are OK or are proceeding well. It can also be tracked by anyone using GPS technology. Let people watch where you are going in real time using satellites to track your location anywhere on the planet.
As an added benefit, if you need to request immediate assistance, you can activate the 406 MHz beacon in the unit to alert rescue crews to your exact location. There is no reason to be lost anywhere on the planet anymore. With a SPOT personal locator beacon, you can keep in touch and never be lost!
Air charter refers to a variety of services available that allow individuals, corporations, or groups to charter airplanes for their use. Charter flights are inherently much more convenient than flying on commercial airlines, with direct flights to nearly any where in the world.
Typical plane charters accommodate 5-10 people on smaller business jets, or as many as 50 on larger business jets. Typically, plane charters should be set up in advance, preferably at least a month to ensure proper scheduling, although some companies do offer ‘rush’ service, allowing even next day charters.
Other options for business or group travelers include fractional jets - whereby a company purchases basically a share of time of use for the jet. Fractional jets are often a more cost effective way to handle plane charters, assuming there will be a repeat need.
• Charter flights, unlike scheduled flights, don’t operate to a strict schedule, but tailor the flight itinerary to your needs.
• Commercial Airlines fly to only 200-230 of the largest airports in the world. Charter flights can land at more than 7000 airports! This affords our clients the flexibility to get closer to their destination, in much less time and effort!
• Rarely are charter flights delayed or cancelled. If you have ever sat in a busy airport terminal because your flight was delayed at some point during its routine, you know the frustration. Charter Flights operate on your schedule!
• Travel in luxury! If you have travelled first class on a commercial airline, you have just a small taste of the personal comfort and convenience an Air Charter company offers.
• Check in Procedure! Actually, once we have all your information, and your charter has been reserved… The only process involves loading your baggage, and assuring your comfort on the aircraft. Aside from making sure you are whom you claim to be, there are no long lines, no crowded airports etc.
• Aviation safety is the utmost concern of every Air Charter company we work with. There are strict FAA regulations governing the Air Charter industry, and your safetly is always the highest concern!
• Privacy is one of the key reasons most high-level executives choose to fly air charter. When you are discussing private matters, the last thing you need to worry about is who sits next to you!
• Eliminate lost Baggage! Your baggage travels in the same plane you do, guaranteed! It goes from your hand directly onto the plane, thus eliminating the need to wait at your destination, as well as the poor experience of losing your belongings.
McMurdo, who makes the Fast Find, provided the lifesaving personal locator beacon that was activated by a Hampshire, UK woman resulting in her being airlifted to safety in Russia. The distress signal from the Personal Locator Beacon was picked up 3,700 miles away by a Scottish RAF base.
The alarm was raised by a research party from Nottingham University after a horse rider, fell from a horse and broke her leg.
The McMurdo PLB signal was picked up by the international search and rescue satellite system monitored by RAF Kinloss in Moray, Scotland.
In a story which is making UK national news headlines, Russian rescue teams were alerted and sent to the remote Kamchatka region. The 406 MHz PLB triggered by the research party is registered in the UK but can be used anywhere in the world to alert search and rescue authorities. It uses GPS technology which gives very quick and accurate position information once activated.
The signal was detected by the UK Mission Control Centre within the Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre at RAF Kinloss at about 2200 BST on Thursday 4th September. An RAF satellite monitoring system operator contacted her Russian counterparts, who sent the rescue helicopter.
A McMurdo FastFind Personal Locator Beacon was used to alert search and rescue authorities when a light aircraft en route to Athens from Popham in the UK made an emergency landing in June. The plane landed in a forested area 15 minutes after take-off from St Etienne in France on the third leg of their flight bound for Aix-Les- Milles in the South of France.
Three experienced pilots were on board the plane. Despite careful weather route planning unexpected bad weather forced them to turn back to St Etienne. However, they were ultimately forced by lack of visibility in a mountainous area to attempt a precautionary landing. The resultant crash caused substantial damage and injuries amongst the crew.
They activated the McMurdo PLB whose signal was relayed via the COSPAS SARSAT satellite system to search and rescue authorities in the UK, who in turn notified the French authorities.
Within an hour the Fastfind information indicated the vicinity of the emergency to the French authorities, and the rescue operation had begun.
Carrying a Personal Locator Beacon like the McMurdo Fastfind is vital. The PLB is pre-registered to the user, so important information is known by rescue authorities which can be life-saving.
Mexico is requiring all aircraft that fly into Mexico to have a 406 Mhz emergency locator transmitter in the aircraft as of July 1st, 2009. This rule has been fought for a long time by United States aviation organization but Mexico knows the benefits of the 406 MHz ELTs and wants to get in line with all the other ICAO nations. All ICAO nations with the exception of the USA have mandated the use of 406 MHz emergency locator transmitters on all aircraft (and boats). Canada has yet to set an exact date on the implementation but it will be soon.
Mexico has a very rugged and unpopulated terrain consisting of mountains, deserts, and jungle. To go down anywhere away from a city could be very dangerous without a way to call for help. Prepare yourself for the rule change in Mexico and get the new 406 MHz ELT.
Rescue services came to the aid of a group of kayakers in rough Scottish waters after the group leader activated his Personal Locator Beacon.
An experienced kayaker, left Portknockie on Scotland’s east coast with a group of three colleagues and his 6-year-old son in gentle seas and with a fair weather forecast. However, some miles off the coast the sea state deteriorated quite rapidly and the group, having already decided to head back to the shore, became overwhelmed by breaking surf on the top of large waves, and one of the companions was thrown out of his kayak. The group performed a rescue on the overturned member and after a brief recovery the group set off again for the main land only to have the companion rolled again by the increasing swell. Despite recovering him again the group recognised they were in a life threatening situation and the leader activated his personal locator beacon to alert search and rescue services via the international satellite system. The group rafted together for added stability and also let off some flares which were seen by a yacht which headed in their direction. The man who had been in the water and the 6 year old son were taken on board, and just minutes later the Coastguard rescue team from Portsoy and the Buckie Lifeboat appeared. A helicopter based at RAF Lossiemouth also stood by until the rescue was complete.
The Coastguard praised the team for carrying the right safety equipment. Aberdeen Coastguard watch manager said: “We would like to specifically praise the kayakers for their actions. When they found themselves in trouble they reacted in exactly the right manner. They were all very well equipped and this undoubtedly assisted in their rescue.
A new Personal Locator Beacon has entered the market and it is the cheapest available for everything it offers.
McMurdo, makers of personal locator beacons for over 20 years, has just produced the Fast Find PLB. It has all the features of all the other major manufacturers of PLBs but is up to 50% cheaper. It uses all the latest 406 MHz technology.
The Fast Find 210 is a powerful waterproof 406 distress beacon. However, the 210 also has a built-in integral 50-channel GPS for additional pinpoint location, further speeding up time of location.
The 210 transmits the two signals simultaneously, one to the subscription free global 406 MHz satellite system, and the other (121.5MHz) is to speed up the local recovery response process. Once activated, FAST FIND’s signals will continue to transmit for at least 24 hours, at a powerful 5 watt output, the 406 MHz transmission ensures that a call for help gets through whatever the conditions.
FAST FIND also includes a unique SOS LED flash light facility which is manually activated to further assist in speeding up the users recovery during night time rescues.
FAST FIND will operate in temperatures down to -20°c and its integral battery has a user storage life of 5 years, so there’s no need for constant battery changes and re-charging.
Treat yourself to a new piece of survival gear that will be useful for your next outdoor adventure. The PLB or personal locator beacon uses technology similar to the emergency locator transmitter (ELT) used in aircrafts. This compact and handy gadget is smaller and lighter and has already been approved by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). It was designed primarily for hikers and enthusiasts of other outdoor activities.
A PLB uses the same 406 MHz technologies like its older counterparts. When activated, a PLB transmits a coded signal to one of the overhead satellite receiver. The distress signal is then down linked to one of the ground-based receivers located around the world. In the US, the information is processed by the US Mission Control Center which then coordinates the information with the appropriate search and rescue organization.