There's still hope for your 121.5 MHz ELT. The FCC on June 15 released notice of a rule that would prohibit the certification, manufacture, importation, sale, or continued use of 121.5 MHz ELTs, but AOPA reached out to the FCC, FAA, and several other affected organizations immediately to oppose the rule.
The rule has not been published in the Federal Register (which would formalize the rule and set a deadline for equipage), and AOPA is working to keep it that way. AOPA continued its work with a recent meeting with the Small Business Administration's office of advocacy, which has highlighted concerns regarding the lack of an assessment on the impact to small businesses; the association has also been working with the FAA flight standards office and communicating its concerns to the FCC. "We continue to emphasize to all agencies involved the potential economic and operational impact of this rule," said AOPA Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Rob Hackman. "It's important to recognize that no deadline has been set for equipage. This has not yet been published in the Federal Register, and indications are that it will not in the near future, if at all."
