Upgraded ELTs to Be Required in Canada After All

Canada's Transport Minister John Baird is said to be preparing to sign a new regulation requiring most aircraft to have a 406-MHz emergency locator transmitter (ELT) in order to operate in Canadian airspace. The rule had been postponed, partly because critics claimed it would stifle private air traffic from the U.S. (where the new ELTs are not required, yet). It is expected there will be a three-year grace period for Canadian-registered aircraft to comply, but the status of foreign-registered aircraft flying in Canadian airspace is not clear. Though 406-MHz ELTs are superior in performance to 121.5-MHz units, some critics of the new policy maintain that the new rule is premature, and superior technology could become available in the near future, units that are more accurate and not as vulnerable to false alarms and failure to activate in a real accident.