ETSO-2C520

406-MHz Satellite Personal Locator Beacon

1 Applicability

This ETSO provides the requirements that personal locator beacons (PLBs) intended to be carried by a person on board an aircraft and that are designed and manufactured on or after the date of this ETSO must meet in order to be identified with the applicable ETSO marking.

2 Procedures

2.1 General

The applicable procedures are detailed in CS-ETSO, Subpart A.

2.2 Specific

None.

3 Technical conditions

3.1 Basic

3.1.1 Minimum Performance Standard

The applicable standard is that provided in Radio Technical Commission for Maritime Services (RTCM) Standard 11010.3 ‘Standard for 406 MHz Satellite Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs)’, dated 25 June 2018.

3.1.2 Environmental Standard

See RTCM 11010.3, Appendix A.

3.1.3 Software

See CS-ETSO, Subpart A, paragraph 2.2.

3.1.4 Airborne Electronic Hardware

See CS-ETSO, Subpart A, paragraph 2.3.

3.2 Specific

3.2.1 Failure Condition Classification

See CS-ETSO, Subpart A, paragraph 2.4.

A classification of ‘no safety effect’ is acceptable for failures of PLBs that are not intended to be installed and not required to be approved by operational regulations.

3.2.2 Embedded Batteries

Subpart A Section 2.7 applies only to PLBs that are intended to be attached to or stowed in an aircraft.

3.2.3 Compliance Demonstration

The PLB shall have been issued with a COSPAS-SARSAT type approval certificate, which shall be provided as part of the compliance documentation.

In addition, the applicant shall provide a certificate from an independent test facility accredited to ISO/IEC 17025, with a scope covering the applicable requirements and test procedures, stating that the article complies with the electrical and environmental standards of RTCM 11010.3.

The applicant shall declare in the declaration of design and performance (DDP) the PLB generation, category, class and group, as defined in RTCM 11010.3, Section 1.5.

4 Marking

4.1 General

See CS-ETSO, Subpart A, paragraph 1.2.

4.2 Specific

See RTCM 11010.3, Section 4.5.

5 Availability of Referenced Documents

See CS-ETSO, Subpart A, paragraph 3.

[Amdt ETSO/17]