Professional Documents
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TECHNOLOGY
Transmitter
When an ELT is properly installed, it requires little maintenance other than ensuring
that it remains securely mounted and connected to its antenna.
There must be no evidence of corrosion, and the battery must be replaced
according to a specific schedule.
Non-rechargeable batteries must be replaced or chargeable batteries recharged:
when the transmitter has been used for more than one cumulative hour, or
when it has reached 50% of its usable life, or
if it is rechargeable 50% of its useful life of charge.
The date required for its replacement must be legibly marked on the outside of the
transmitter case and recorded in the aircraft maintenance records.
An ELT can be tested by removing it and taking it into a shielded or screened room to
prevent its radiation from causing a false alert.
An operational check may be made with the ELT in the aircraft by removing the
antenna and connecting a dummy load.
If it is not possible to use a dummy load:
the antenna may be left in place
the ELT operated for no more than three audible sweeps
the test must be conducted within the first five minutes after any hour
If the ELT must be operated outside of this time frame:
the nearest FAA control tower must be contacted and the test coordinated with
them
The pilot should check at the end of each flight to be sure that the ELT has not been
triggered.
This is done by tuning the VHF receiver to 121.5 MHz and listening for the tone. If
no tone is heard, the ELT is not operating.
System Components
An ELT transmitter for small airplanes with the antenna and coaxial cable
Antenna
Antenna cable
System Operation
The ELT is battery powered and is automatically turned on by crash forces. It will
transmit a special swept tone for 48 hours on two different emergency frequencies.
They are 121.5 MHz and 243.0 MHz;
121.5 is the civilian emergency frequency
243.0 is the military emergency frequency.
It is designed to activate automatically and no preliminary procedures other than
proper installation, periodic testing, and specified battery replacement are required.
The transmitter is activated by an acceleration operated switch when a rapid
deceleration force is applied along the longitudinal axis of the aircraft.
The ELT must be installed as far aft as possible but in front of the tail surfaces
since this area has been shown to remain intact in most airplane crashes.
There are times when an aircraft technician may need to test an ELT so he
should be familiar with the procedure.
If possible, the ELT should be tested with the antenna disconnected or shielded to
prevent the transmission of emergency signals into the air.
If this cannot be done, it is still permissible to test the ELT, but only during the
first five minutes of any hour and for three audio sweeps maximum.
A VHF communication radio is turned on and tuned to 121.5 MHz.
The ELT is then switched on manually until the signal is heard on the receiver and
then switched off again.
The ELT function switch, located in the There are two forms of manual
ELT transmitter must be set in ARM operations of ELT:
position. Set the ELT function switch to ON
The ELT remote control switch, located position, or
in the cockpit must be set in ARM Set the ELT remote control switch to
position. ON position.
Manually operate the ELT only when:
The ARM position is the "normal"
position for the control switch.
A "soft” crash does not activate the
ELT.
In this position, the transmitter will For very brief periods during
automatically commence transmitting authorized test of transmitter.
if the aircraft stops abruptly within
defined specification.
Test Operation
The control panel on an ELT unit Set the VHF No. 1 or VHF No. 2 aircraft
contains a switch with three positions: transceiver to 121.5 MHz with the
AUTO, OFF, and ON. volume turned up.
The unit may be tested by tuning the Turn on the transmitter for 1½
VHF COMM receiver to 121.5 MHz and seconds.
then placing the ELT switch in the ON A repeating downward swept audio
position. signal should be heard on VHF
communication receiver.
The emergency tone will be heard if
the ELT is operating. Turn the transmitter off after 3 audio
sweeps.
Immediately after the test, the switch Move the transmitter switch to ARM
should be returned to the AUTO position (normal position).
position.
ELT Regulation
No person may operate a U.S. registered civil airplane unless it meets the applicable
requirements listed below for ELTs.
Each emergency locator transmitter must be in operable condition and meet the
requirements of TSO‑C91 or TSO‑C91A and it must be installed as far aft as
practicable.
Batteries used in the ELT must be replaced or recharged as appropriate:
When the transmitter has been in use for more than one cumulative hour; or
When 50% of the useful life has expired.
The expiration date for the replacement or recharge of the battery must be legibly
marked on the outside of the transmitter and entered in the aircraft maintenance
record.
A Cockpit Voice Recorder and Flight Data Recorder installed in the aft section of the fuselage
The CVR is designed to record sounds in the cockpit and communications on the
intercom and radio systems.
It has a hot microphone in the cockpit which is always activated to record voices,
warning sounds, engine noise etc.
The CVR is also connected to the intercom so that conversations between the
members of the crew can be recorded.
It is also connected to radios so that communications with ATC are recorded.
The CVR has a continuous recording system that holds approximately the last 30
minutes of audio.
It is located in the aft fuselage for better survival and it is waterproof and
protected against fire and impact forces.
The flight data recorder has many more inputs than the cockpit voice recorder.
It has a recording time of 8 hours on smaller aircraft and about 24 hours on larger
aircraft.
The CVR and FDR are located in the same area of the aft fuselage and have
similar protection from water, fire etc.
Air carrier jets have been required to carry CVRs and FDRs for some years, but
recently new regulations have gone into effect that require these devices on
smaller aircraft.
7. Roll Attitude.
The cockpit voice recorder, or CVR, is an important device for determining the
cause of an aircraft accident.
An endless tape allows for 30 minutes of recording, and then it is automatically
erased and recorded over.
There are four inputs to the recording heads:
The microphones of the captain
The microphones of first officer
The microphones of flight engineer
A microphone that picks up received audio and cockpit conversations
These microphones are always "hot" and do not require any type of keying.
The pickups are all in the cockpit, but the actual tape recorder is in a fire resistant box
usually located near the tail of the aircraft.
The CVR is painted bright orange so that it is easily identified among the wreckage.
Cockpit voice recorders (CVRs) are very similar to flight data recorders; they look
nearly identical and operate in almost the same way.
CVRs monitor the last 30 min of flight deck conversations and radio communications.
The flight deck conversations are recorded via the microphone monitor panel located
on the flight deck.
This panel is also used to test the system and erase the tape if so desired.
The erase mode of the CVR can be operated only after the aircraft has landed and the
parking brake set.
Playback is possible only after the recorder is removed from the aircraft.
In Boeing 737:
The cockpit voice recorder uses four independent channels to record cockpit audio
on a 30 minute continuous-loop tape.
Recordings older than 30 minutes are automatically erased.
One channel records cockpit area conversations using the area microphone.
The other channels record any individual audio and transmissions from the pilots
and first observer.
In Boeing 757:
The cockpit voice recorder records any transmissions from the cockpit made
through the audio selector panels.
It also records cockpit area conversations using an area microphone.
In Boeing 777:
It has four-channel solid state voice recorder with flight deck area
microphone records the most recent 30 minutes of flight crew
communications.
It erases automatically so that only the last 30 minutes are on the memory
tape.
Inputs from the voice recorder are from the area microphone that picks up
any conversations on the flight deck, the captains, first officers, and first
observer's audio panel and their hot microphones (oxygen mask).
Input to the voice recorder is from: There is a voice recorder jack on the
the cockpit voice recorder service and APU shutdown panel that
microphone, permits a ground crew member to
the captain's, monitor flight deck conversation.
first officer's, and The recorder unit is in the aft
first observer's audio from their hot equipment center.
microphone inputs to the AMU. It includes an underwater locator
The cockpit voice recorder panel has beacon (ULB).
test and erase buttons and is on the To bulk erase the cockpit voice
maintenance panel in the flight deck. recorder, the airplane must be on the
The cockpit voice recorder microphone ground and the parking brake set.
is on the overhead panel in the flight
deck.