Airworthiness Notice - B014, Edition 5 - 28 March 2002

Emergency Locator Transmitters and Batteries

(This Airworthiness Notice supersedes AN No. B014, Edition 4, 
dated 20 November 1998)

This notice provides an updated listing of approved emergency locator transmitter (ELT) batteries and their replacement battery packs. This approval is based on Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Technical Standard Order (TSO) Approval and the procedures established in Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics Document No.DO-188, Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) Batteries Guidance and Recommendations.

Although FAA has published a new TSO C142 dated April 4, 2000 for lithium batteries including lithium sulphur dioxide batteries (based on RTCA Document DO-227), Airworthiness Directive (AD) CF-81-29R2 on Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELTs), which prohibits the installation of lithium sulphur dioxide batteries on ELTs, is still applicable.

As explained in the AD, it is possible to use lithium batteries other than lithium sulphur dioxide batteries in ELTs provided those batteries have the original part numbers. Lithium batteries, approved under this category are also included in the listing.

Eligible ELTs

Aircraft maintenance engineers (AMEs) and owners are reminded that ELTs are designated as radio equipment, and as such must be listed in the Industry Canada (IC) Radio Equipment List (REL) to be eligible for installation in Canadian registered aircraft, provided that airworthiness requirements are met. This requires that the equipment meet the relevant TSOs and the requirements of the Airworthiness Manual (AWM) Chapter 551.

Reference should be made to IC for the current list of approved units (telephone (613) 990-4698). Hard copy of this document is not available. However, the document can be obtained through the Internet site: strategis.ic.gc.ca.

URL Radio Equipment List (REL)

This URL guides you to the database of REL and a search by the specification code RSS 147 and RSS 187, will provide list of ELTs approved by IC.

For convenience, all the ELTs presently approved by IC and TC for airborne usage are listed with the manufacturer's name as identified in REL . Where the manufacturers' name (as identified in REL) has changed, the new name is shown in parenthesis.

Batteries

Only approved batteries as listed in Schedule A may be installed in an ELT. The battery expiration date shall be marked externally on the ELT case. Batteries shall be replaced or recharged in accordance with the requirements of AWM 551.

Owners/operators considering battery substitution are advised to contact the ELT manufacturer or its representative since replacement of the ELT manufacturer's battery with another approved battery may void the ELT warranty.

Where an ELT currently has a battery installed which is no longer listed, that battery shall be replaced during the next annual inspection of the ELT, or at the next visit to an ELT repair facility.

For Minister of Transport

M.J. Eley Director, Aircraft Certification

Schedule A - Emergency Locator Transmitters and Batteries Approved by Transport Canada and Industry Canada

Note: Tracer Electronics is an approved Canadian Repair Station for 

1) Artex product line of ELTs 
2) Pointer 4000, C-4000, 4000-10 and 4000-11 ELTs 
    (for Western Canada only)

For further information contact the manufacturer/distributor at the number listed below: