Ross Statham

Good question. Yes, it’s public info, and it’s tracked by the CAP and AFRCC. You will probably get quicker answers from the CAP in your state. Google “[your state] Civil Air Patrol” and there should be website with a phone for wing headquarters for your state. Look up operations or call and ask for the number for Wing Operations, the head of whom who will be a senior volunteer. Tell them you’re a pilot and you were inquiring about the ELT you heard and reported over X. Most will try to answer your question or may refer you. Anything like this involves paperwork and record keeping, and if you get stonewalled by some old grouch and can’t get what you need, ask to speak with the Wing Public Affairs Officer. It may take a few days, but you’ll get the answers you need. Be patient, and be polite, because they’re all volunteers.

I’m a former ELT chaser for CAP, and these are actually reported and worked thru USAF AFRCC at Tyndall AFB in Panama City, Florida. Typically most of ELTs that are heard are reported by pilots to tower, approach, departure or center, who (are supposed to) immediately notify AFRCC. AFRCC assigns a mission number and forwards to the local CAP wing’s operations, who assigns an incident commander. 406 ELTs are picked up by satellite by AFRCC and include a latitude and longitude which may not be precise. Doesn’t always work as well as it should. After AFRCC contacts CAP, they assign a duty incident commander, who either dispatches a plane with a crew to do an air search, or sends a ground team if it’s a location such as on or close to an airport, or both. All are volunteers. I’ve worked all sides of these, and all I ever worked were accidental triggers or boats. But they’re all checked out. Most are in aircraft in hangers or tie downs. We used hand held radios to track them down on airport property. We weren’t allowed to shut them off (private property), but we worked with airport management and law enforcement. if you do hear a strong signal in the air that lasts for more than five minutes, report it immediately while in the air. You could be saving someone’s life. Note on your chart exactly where you are, including any towns or especially airports nearby. Be as precise as possible, including your altitude. (The lower you are, the more precise your report becomes.) Sounds complicated to chase and find these, but it’s not. It can be a bit time consuming but CAP and AFRCC treat these as a priority. I’ve gotten calls at 3 am, put together a small team and had them found and dealt with within three or four hours. Some I’ve worked with were myself and one other volunteer on the ground with hand held radios using a technique called “body blocking”. We have also found them by dispatching aircraft with a Becker RDF, and I have flown many practice missions and a few actual missions because these remain a real priority. I do have a few interesting and amusing stories to tell around “finds.” The newer ELRs are 406MHz and include a GPS position within their satellite signal as noted above, but they do include a lower power 121.5 signal as well to aid in finding them. Easily tracked and found in most cases, as noted above. 97% of all ELTs triggered are false alarms, but 3% are indeed real.

Looking for some ideas. My stock Mooney towbar (for my 1978 M20J) is light and relatively short. But it’s difficult to pull the plane out of the hanger because it’s short. Anyone have any ideas as to how to make or buy something longer and better I can keep in the hanger? Suggestions appreciated.

I do hesitate to give advice on topics like this, but since this advice was first given to me many years ago by a retired ATP (and it proved to be quite helpful), here goes: “Congrats! Now that you have your instrument ticket, use it at first to fly MVFR before jumping feet first into 200 foot approaches and lousy visibility. Set your own personal minimums (such as 800 or 600 foot ceilings) and adjust up or down based on currency, practice and proficiency. Get some IMC cross country in, too.” I think I would add, “If you’re an EAA member, join your local chapter’s IMC club and learn from others.”

Sorry, gang, missed the question about hangers. Shade hangers $60 per month, immediately available. Enclosed hangers $250 and up, decent waiting list. Cheap gas, plus additional discount for tenants. Friendly field, Close to the gulf, great cost of living. 1J0 www.tricountyairportfl.com

Since Kelly Thermal wasn’t forthcoming with details, I found their site: https://www.kellythermal.com/mooney NO mention of price. They do note the following models: Mooney M20-R, -S, -TN, -U, -V - THERMACOOL Not gonna work in my J. Oh well. Ross

Yes, the Tyndall folks are great. Was working their airspace this morning shooting approaches under the hood with a safety pilot buddy in my 201 for 90 minutes, including Panama City Beach and two other airports. I got to know the Tyndall folks last year while working out details in coordination on a new RNAV approach into 1J0. (That’s an interesting story I should share with you guys some day. I’m very impressed with the FAA guru that we were assigned. The whole process was very educational.) I agree that Tyndall and Cairns (Ft Rucker) are great to work with. They seem to bend over backwards helping knucklehead pilots like me transition, shoot approaches, or anything else we seem to ask!

Some superb suggestions I can’t improve upon other than to add, I got used to my vision issue fixes in the cockpit first by using my new reading glasses day, then dusk/dawn, then cruising at night, then approaches. Absolutely go find a good eye doc, and I suspect transition lenses will help. Did for me. Safe travels!

I live in the Panhandle, fly IMC and deal with the MOAs all the time including dozens of flights between here and Tampa, where I used to live. (Sarasota is Tampa airspace.). I also fly west to Pensacola, Louisiana and Texas. I serve on a local airport board, and have gotten to know some of the controllers at Tyndall and Cairns. I routinely deal with Cairns, Jax center, Elgin approach, Tallahassee approach, Tyndall, Tampa. All very good to work with. I have had good experiences from where you are using V198 to MAI, direct CTY, then V7 to NITTS, then direct destination. That keeps you on an airway during most of the MOA transitions and seems to make Jax Center and Tampa approach happy. It will put you just south of Tallahassee, should be no issue if you’re at altitude. Lots of good options. You’re welcome to call my cell and discuss details- including airways and fixes. Ross Statham 770-329-5400.

Another option I’ve used is to go with a diesel (yellow) or kerosine (blue) container and label it. Works well for me. But I like the retro fit kit suggestion, too.

Interesting. Seems to be either 24v or use their batteries. I wonder how to deal with venting the heat exhaust and condensation. Definitely worth watching. I live in Florida and would like better options. Thanks for posting this!

Since you mentioned the Panhandle and restricted airspace, that’s an area I know well, just having moved here two years ago from Brooksville, Florida, and before that, 28 years in metro Atlanta. We love it here. We spent three years just north of Tampa in Brooksville (KBKV) and really liked it there as well. Can’t go wrong there either! Here we have 3.5 seasons. No snow, of course. It’s my favorite part of Florida. Central time. Easy flying along the beach using the VFR corridor, and easy leaving here VFR or IFR for travel destinations. Tyndall Approach and Panama City are great to work with, as is Jaxsonville Center. Or fly VFR. We’re based at 1J0, an hour north of Panama City. Small, friendly pilot community with an active EAA chapter, 5400 foot runway and just north of the MOAs. I’m on the airport board, and we have pilots here who have moved here from all over the world. Cost of living is attractive, so you can buy a lot of house. We live in a small town called Chipley, and recommend it. (Provided you like small towns.) The airport website is www.tricountyairportfl.com. Other airports to consider close by are Marianna and Defuniak Springs. Also nice airports and communities. Friendly people, low crime rate, good cost of living in this area. Some people buy homes north of or in Panama City and base their plane here. We bought a big house with a pool on an acre in your price range, and we are close to I-10 and the beaches. Call me at 770-329-5400 if I can help with discussions about airspace or the area. Oh, we have a 1978 Mooney 201 named “Jane”. N6201Y.

Richard Cam at Aeroquest is just setting up shop at 1J0. 352-258-0720. He just did some major work on my 201. That’s just south of you. I’m a pilot on the field.

I own a Mooney M20J, and have had dealings with Jimmy and the team. Very professional, excellent reputation among the pilot and A&P community in northwest Florida.