Modern Technology and Saftey

Listening to the news talk about the missing MN man and his kids got me thinking. In this day and age, how can this still be an issue? We as big water boaters use marine radio with GPS and DSC and EPIRB technology. Snowmobilers and back country hikers/hunters use SPOT technology.

How does a plane not have some kind of a GPS based beacon?

Same goes for that poor gentleman that died on Lake Michigan this summer due to a heart attack and the Coast Guard not being able to locate them in a rapid time frame.

I’m guessing they aren’t thinking a $200 DSC marine radio isn’t to expensive now.

I can tell you, you won’t find me out in the mountains without some type of emergency location technology. Same with being in my boat. My life is worth way more to me than a couple hundred bucks.

Missing Plane

Light singles (I heard he was flying a Mooney) do have ELT’s (emregency locator transpoders) that rely on G-force impact to set off the signal. If he has not maintained the battery in the ELT it will not go off, or if the G-forces were light, the transmitter would not go off and like all good technology – sometimes the things just don’t work. Another possibility is the ELT was destroyed by the impact.

Or transmitting into the ground. (upside down) VHF with DSC don’t work on a capsized boat either….

-J.