The comment period on a proposed rule that affects the ELTs on 14,500 U.S. aircraft will expire July 8. The notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) will require owners of some Ameri-King ELTs to have them thoroughly inspected for function and parts compliance. The rule was written after the agency issued a cease-and-desist order to California-based Ameri-King after it was determined the manufacturer was using non-certified components in the ELTs. The agency looked into the products after reports of 73 failures. Despite the cease-and-desist order, the FAA is not calling for the universal replacement of the ELTs.
If they choose to, owners can have the units thoroughly gone over by an avionics tech and checked for component compliance and functionality. Some defects can be repaired but others require the immediate replacement of the ELT. The agency is calling for repetitive inspections that it estimates will cost $170 but there doesn’t seem to be a schedule for the work.
