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ELT / PLB (merged)

In UK you register with one single maritime agency ‘Distress and Security Beacon Registry’ (they handle aviation for free)

PLB/ELT_UK

Registering is free and takes around 15 minutes

form

Last Edited by Ibra at 10 May 09:25
Paris/Essex, France/UK, United Kingdom

The Swedish authorities say that all PLBs have to be registered by the owner directly with COSPAS/SARSAT! So is this done differently in other countries?

ESKC (Uppsala/Sundbro), Sweden

You can also get a US coded PLB and register it in the US – 5 min online and they even send you a letter with the registration sticker for the device for free to a European mail address…

Germany

Every PLB out there in Europe is likely to be registered in UK for historical reasons (plus it costs nothing rather than 100€/year)

Last Edited by Ibra at 09 May 17:28
Paris/Essex, France/UK, United Kingdom

As far as I delved into that issue, you also cannot register a PLB in Germany, but since you need one when going to Austria with a glider, there is no way around. Apparently most people register their PLB in the UK, no questions asked.
I guess some acountability of the civil service should be enforced by pitchfork.

Berlin, Germany

RobertL18C wrote:

I notice that PLB sellers advise they should not be used (carried?) in Denmark Germany and Poland? Is there a reason why not?

You can carry a PLB in Germany. If it is allowed to use it is a philosophical question because in the event of an emergency, nobody cares what is allowed or not as long as you get saved.

The challenge with the PLB in Germany is that there is no national COSPAS-SARSAT rescue coordination center. The only RCC we have in Germany is the Maritime RCC in Bremen that only is responsible for SAR on the Baltics or North Sea. Therefore an alert over terrain needed to be coordinated “manually” with somebody at some RCC trying to find the contacts of some local rescue. That can lead to delays – but still better than no rescue…

Germany

Another query (this thread comes first on the PLB search)

I notice that PLB sellers advise they should not be used (carried?) in Denmark Germany and Poland? Is there a reason why not?

Netherlands used to require an ELT and it would be interesting to know how many light GA carry an ELT in Europe these days?

Oxford (EGTK), United Kingdom

ACR has a small booth at Aero with some PLBs I have not seen before, like this one:

https://www.acrartex.com/products/bivy-stick/

Rechargeable.

Fly more.
LSGY, Switzerland

Interesting article.
The “https://www.backcountrychronicles.com/plb-slot-canyon-test/” link to the “PDF report” is dead.
.

Maoraigh
EGPE, United Kingdom

RobertL18C wrote:

Any Pirep on Garmin InReach Mini 2?

I have the InReach Mini 1.

Does exactly what it promises: Sends position data to your loved ones at home and when paired with a mobile device (and with the required sat data subscription, of course), you can send and receive text messages from wherever you have Iridium reception. There’s also the option to send predefined text-messages directly from the device (e.g. “safely landend”).
There also is a big red “emergency” button on it – but never tested it, obviously.

For me it’s a complement not a replacement for a PLB. My better half loves to be able to track me when on longer distance flights but I won’t bet my life on the SOS button.

Germany
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