Member's Home Forums General Discussion Mexico 406 MHz ELT Extension - June 30, 2018

Today we formally presented our request to extend the 406 MHz ELT requirement for US and Canadian registered aircraft visiting Mexico.

We have once again begun working with Mexico's DGAC to request another postponement of the 406 MHz ELT requirement. This is an issue that we have been working on with the DGAC since 2008 and have been successful in getting postponements to this requirement in writing. We have submitted a number of documents including risk analysis, economic analysis and precedents in other countries to make our point. We are also working closely with the Mexican Federation of Pilots, FEMPPA, who have similar interests in seeing this regulation postponed (or hopefully eliminated) for private aircraft.

With the change of power here in Mexico at the end of last year, we decided to wait until the new head of the DGAC was selected and the for the subsequent shake-ups to work their way through before beginning to request an extension of the existing deadline of June 30, 2013. Today we had a positive conference call with the DGAC in Mexico City and we will continue to provide whatever information they require.

As always, we are grateful to Mexico's DGAC for being receptive to our petitions and to those of the other general aviation organizations here in Mexico who have all worked hard to get these postponements enacted.

We will keep you posted on how things progress.

Hi Rick,

Hope all is well in your world! What's the latest update on the ELT extension? Just signed up for the Pilot's association, but didn't see any new info there. Thanks for providing such a great source of information.

Artie Clark

Hello Artie, welcome aboard, it is nice to have you as a member!

We have been in constant contact with the DGAC since the beginning of the year on this topic and have sent several different sets of analysis as well as copies of regulations from other countries. The Director of technical affairs for Mexico's DGAC has been out the last two weeks and I have left several messages with his assistant asking that he call with an update. He is expected back in the office next Tuesday and I will continue calling to find out what they plan to do. Whatever happens, we will alert the members through this post as well as a mass email.

Thank you, Rick! Have a great weekend, I'll try to give you a call next week sometime and catch up.

We were contacted today by the Adjunct Director General of Aviation of Mexico's DGAC to advise us that they are going to extend the deadline for 406 MHz ELT's another 24 months. The current extension is due to expire June 30, 2013. With this additional extension, the deadline is now pushed back to June 30, 2015.

We have been working for many years with the DGAC as well as FEMPPA (The Mexican Federation of Pilots and Aircraft Owners) to provide data and our own analysis to justify why private aircraft should be exempted. (In addition to being the AOPA representative in Mexico, we are also the official FEMPPA representative in the state of Puebla, Mexico). We have also received a lot of support over the years from Kevin Psutka of the Canadian Owners and Pilots Association (COPA) with information, strategy and advice on COPA's initiatives in Canada on this topic.

What is different about this latest extension is that the regulations themselves are being changed. In the past, this had been handled as a unilateral notice from the Director General of the DGAC. Due to this, the official announcement will come by way of the Mexican Federal Register later this month after it works its way through the legal process. However, The Adjunct Director General has told us that we can proceed to make an announcement to the General Aviation Community so that pilots will know that they will still be free to travel to Mexico with their current 121.5 MHz ELT's.

This latest extension has been the result of a lot of hard work, follow-up, emails and telephone calls by ourselves, FEMPPA and the DGAC over the last 6 months and we are happy to see that steps continue to be taken to facilitate the arrival of General Aviation aircraft to Mexico.

Great News! Is the actual extension posted in the documents section?

Thanks!

Hi Artie, not yet. As soon as we have it we will put it up on the Procedures and Forms page of the CST Member Website.

Thanks, Rick! We'll keep an eye out for it.

The changes to the Mexican Aeronautical regulations that cover the requirements for a 406 MHz ELT on aircraft flying to and within Mexico have finally been published in the Mexican Federal Register. We have read the changes to regulation NOM-012-SCT3-2012 and found that it contains a couple of surprises.

The changes do indeed extend the deadline for requiring 406 MHz ELT's until June 30, 2015 as previously reported. However, the extension ONLY applies to piston aircraft with a MTOW of 12,500 lbs or less. As the rules are written, turbo-prop and turbine aircraft as well as larger piston aircraft are not excluded. This twist was not expected so we will have to explore what drove it.

The relevant text is as follows:

5.2.11.7. No obstante lo requerido en el numeral 5.2.11.6., anterior, todos los operadores aéreos indicados
en ese numeral, con aeronaves con un peso máximo certificado menor de 5 700 kg y motores recíprocos,
deben instalar un ELT que transmita en las frecuencias de 406 MHz y 121.5 MHz simultáneamente, en un
plazo no mayor al 30 de junio de 2015, tomando en cuenta que esta última frecuencia es únicamente de forma
auxiliar.

Separately, helicopters operating over water are required to not only have a 406 MHz ELT but also a portable 406 MHz ELT attached to either a life jacket or life raft. The pertinent text here is:

5.3.8.1. Todas las aeronaves de ala rotativa que operen en Clase de performance 1 y 2 a cargo de concesionarios, permisionarios y operadores aéreos, deben estar equipadas con un ELT automático; y cuando realicen vuelos sobre el agua según lo establecido en el inciso a) del numeral 5.3.11., de esta norma, deben llevar un ELT automático y un ELT portátil automático en una balsa o chaleco salvavidas.
5.3.8.2. Todas las aeronaves de ala rotativa que operen en Clase de performance 3 a cargo de concesionarios, permisionarios y operadores aéreos, deben estar equipadas con un ELT automático; y cuando realicen vuelos sobre el agua según lo establecido en el inciso b) del numeral 5.3.11., de esta norma, deben llevar un ELT automático y un ELT portátil automático en una balsa o chaleco salvavidas.

No further extensions?

Good morning and thanks for your post.

We had a meeting on March 27 with Mexico's DGAC, Mexican Immigration, Mexican ATC and other agencies where a number of issues were discussed. Among them was the 406 MHz ELT deadline. We were told verbally that another 3-year extension was in the works but we do not have confirmation. Until we do, we do not want to create false expectations in case there are any last minute changes. Therefore, Officially, the deadline has ended but another extension is in the works. We have not rushed out to put a 406 MHz ETL in our aircraft yet.

We have another meeting in Mexico City scheduled for next week and we hope to have more information,

We received official confirmation today from Mexico's DGAC that a three year extension for the implementation of the 406 MHz in Mexico is under final review by the Judicial Department of the Secretary of Communications and Transportation. A final response should be given before the end of July, 2015 extending the deadline until 2018. As soon as the new regulation is available we will advise. In the meantime, General Aviation aircraft may freely travel to Mexico without a 406 MHz ELT.

There are a number of other issues related to General Aviation aircraft flying to Mexico being addressed with more meetings in Mexico City planned in the coming weeks and we will advise as confirmation of changes become available

That's great news. Thank you so much for staying on top of this!

We received official notification today from the Mexican Federal Government that the requirement for 406 MHz ELT's has once again been extended to June 30, 2018. Caribbean Sky Tours Pilots Association Members wanting additional information should contact Caribbean Sky Tours.

Hello Rick!
I notice that the current extension will expire in 11 days. Are there any plans for any new extensions? Should I start shopping around for a new ELT or hold off for a couple of weeks?

At this time there is no plan for a new extension. We will advise if anything changes but based on the current trends, we would not be anticipating a further extension.

We have been advised by Mexico's DGAC that there will NOT BE any further extensions to the date for 406 MHz ELT compliance. Therefore, starting Sunday, July 01, 2018 all visiting US or Canadian registered aircraft must have a 406 MHz ELT installed to travel to Mexico. Failing to have a 406 MHz ELT can result in an enforcement action. Recent experience has led us to believe that it is entirely possible that enforcement action may be taken on pilots of aircraft that do not comply. We have been advised they WILL NOT accept a SPOT, Garmin Inreach, Spidertracks, 406 MHz PLB or any other tracking device as a substitute.


NOTIFICATION OF THIS REQUIREMENT AND THE DATE OF ENFORCEMENT HAS BEEN SENT BY DGAC HEADQUARTERS TO ALL THE DGAC OFFICES AT MEXICAN AIRPORTS.


It is very possible that the DGAC at certain airports in Mexico may inspect visiting US or Canadian aircraft for these ELTs. Anyone planning a trip to Mexico who does not have a 406 MHz ELT should take this into consideration.

CST Members with aircraft that do not have 406 MHz ELTs and are evaluating their options should consider that The Bahamas, Belize, Cayman Islands, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, USVI DO NOT require 406 MHz ELTs.

Starting July 01, 2018 piston powered aircraft with an MTOW below 12,500 lbs will be required to have a 406 MHz ELT. This requirement has been zealously communicated by Mexico s DGAC headquarters to their regional and airport Comandantes. As we have called around to DGAC offices at airports around the country, we have found that the interpretation and planned enforcement of the new regulations vary greatly. At some airports, they plan to focus on Mexican registered aircraft while at others they will inspect everybody. Some airports plan to inspect aircraft when they renew their Airworthiness Certificate (Mexican registered aircraft) whereas others plan instant ramp checks of all aircraft. Proof of compliance ranges from presenting logbook entries (original logbooks) to accepting copies of logbook entries. Some DGAC inspectors are planning to make a physical inspection of the ELT (yes, really). The planned consequences for failing to comply range from a warning, to a full blown enforcement action with aircraft grounding and fine. In short, it will be a dynamic situation until things die down.

Therefore, we strongly recommend that if you DO have a 406 MHz ELT installed in your aircraft and you plan to fly to Mexico, that you at least bring photocopies of your logbook entries that document the installation of the 406 MHz ELT. It would be best to bring the original logbook as well, if possible. Any additional documentation such as NOAA registration documents (showing tail number), ELT invoice, etc. would be advisable. If you DO NOT have a 406 MHz ELT, we urge you to avoid flights to Mexico until you have one installed.

As AOPA's authorized representative in Mexico, we are the ones who have been making the requests over the years for extensions to the 406 MHz ELT deadline on AOPA s behalf. We also set up the meeting between AOPA's Mark Baker and the DGAC here in Mexico City where this matter was discussed in depth. Based on our experience lately assisting AOPA members who have run into trouble with the DGAC in Mexico, and after seeing how their matters have been resolved, we believe that you should take this matter very seriously.

While we are always happy to assist pilots who have problems down here, we would prefer to help them avoid getting into trouble in the first place.