Sorry to revive this old thread but does anyone know if the InReach device meets the requirements stated by UK CAA here:
Emergency locator transmitters (ELT) and personal locator beacons (PLB)
Under Part-NCO an emergency locator transmitter (ELT) or personal locator beacon (PLB) needs to be carried on every aircraft for every flight.
Implementing rule NCO.IDE.A.170 sets out the requirement to have an ELT or a PLB fitted so it is clear that an ELT or a PLB must be carried on all flights.
(I carry an old Fastfind for over water operations but InReach is much smaller and far more likely to remain with me during an emergency egression. And my Fastfind needs a new battery, which is half the price of a new InReach. However InReach is not marketed as a PLB and doesn’t have 406 or 121.5. In a real life emergency, the ability to send text messages might be a great advantage and the GPS position should make 121.5 homing redundant).
My own aircraft has an installed ELT complying with part NCO, but not all rentals have this, so it’s not just an academic question.
I don’t think the inreach qualifies. Best get an inreach and a plb (resqlink or similar).
Part NCO IDE.A.170 specifies that ELT and PLB should transmit on 406MHz and 121.5 MHz. AMC3 further specifies that the PLB should have GNSS and approved by COSPAS-SARSAT.
So spot and inreach are not sufficient.
Got my Christmas gift today. Programmed and registered 
It’s a Ocean Signal RescueME PLB1 (long name). This was the smallest I could find, and it was also one of the cheapest, so I just ordered without thinking more about it. And it is real small indeed, not much larger than a match box.
Why a PLB? Well:
I fly in desolate areas, often during winter, and if I have to do an emergency landing, then pinpoint location is the only thing that really works. I hope I never will use it, but if I have to, I sure will have my selfie stick ready for YouTube (not likely, I plain such at anything “camera” anyway )
I wonder if someone else here also have a PLB for flying?
Yep, have had one since they were first available. I also have a slightly more sophisticated Garmin thingy that I bought for 4×4 treks in places like Death Valley, which lets you send a receive text messages wherever you are, and sends continuous position updates.
I think they have been mandatory here in the UK for about 6 years, and we needed one for visiting France before that.
When we cross water I always have it to hand.
I think they have been mandatory here in the UK for about 6 year
Only EASA aeroplanes (Part21: TMG, SEP, MEP), I think Annex2, Microlights and Gliders are still exempt
LeSving wrote:
I wonder if someone else here also have a PLB for flying?
Several of our club aircraft have PLB’s.
I got this one in Friedrichshafen a while ago. It is always in my pocket when I go fly, safe when I am on CAT, as some security controls take issue with it.
Will need to get the battery replaced before next use, even though the test function still shows ok.
I bought one last summer. Same as Le Sving’s one. For the same reasons.
