ACK’s E01 is our first choice for a reasonably priced, reliable 121.5 MHz ELT.

by Larry Anglisano

Without much encouragement, you can develop an itchy rash thinking about emergency locator transmitters or ELTs. The FAA requires these devices yet it’s common knowledge that they’re a pain in the keister to maintain and, in the end, they don’t work very well.

Most avionics shops are glad to defer required ELT inspection and maintenance chores to the mechanics during annual inspections. When Aviation Consumer last examined the topic of ELTs five years ago, we concluded that they’re like a bad insurance policy—annoying to pay for and often useless when needed. …