47 C.F.R. Subpart F—Aircraft Stations
Title 47 - Telecommunication
(a) Aircraft stations must limit their communications to the necessities of safe, efficient, and economic operation of aircraft and the protection of life and property in the air, except as otherwise specifically provided in this part. Contact with an aeronautical land station must only be attempted when the aircraft is within the serivce area of the land station. however, aircraft stations may transmit advisory information on air traffic control, unicom or aeronautical multicom frequencies for the benefit and use of other stations monitoring these frequencies in accordance with FAA recommended traffic advisory practices. (b) Aircraft public correspondence service must be made available to all persons without discrimination and on reasonable demand, and must communicate without discrimination with any public coast station or mobile-satellite earth station authorized to provide aircraft public correspondence service. (c) Aircraft public correspondence service on maritime mobile frequencies may only be carried by aircraft stations licensed to use maritime mobile frequencies and must follow the rules for public correspondence in part 80. (d) Aircraft public correspondence service on Aeronautical Mobile-Satellite (R) Service frequencies may only be carried on aircraft earth stations licensed to use Aeronautical Mobile-Satellite (R) frequencies and are subject to the rules for public correspondence in this part. Aircraft public correspondence service on Maritime Mobile-Satellite Service frequencies may only be carried by aircraft earth stations licensed to use Maritime Mobile-Satellite frequencies and are subject to the rules for public correspondence in part 80. [53 FR 28940, Aug. 1, 1988, as amended at 57 FR 45750, Oct. 5, 1992] (a) Frequencies used for air-ground Communications are listed in subpart E. Aircraft stations may use frequencies assigned to Government or non-Government aeronautical stations or radionavigation land stations if the communications are within the aeronautical or radionavigation land station scope of service. (b) 410 kHz is the international direction-finding frequency for use outside the continental United States. (c) 457 kHz is an authorized working frequency for flights over the high seas. (d) 500 kHz an international calling and distress frequency for aircraft on flights over the high seas. Except for distress, urgency or safety messages an aircraft station must not transmit on 500 kHz during the silence periods for three minutes twice each hour beginning at x h. 15 and x h.45 Coordinated Universal Time (u.t.c.). (e) The frequency 2182 khz is an international distress and calling frequency for use by ship, aircraft and survival craft stations. Aircraft stations must use J3E emission when operating on 2182 kHz and communicating with domestic public and private coast stations. The emission H3E may be used when communicating with foreign coast and ship stations. (f) The frequencies 3023 kHz, 5680 kHz, 122.900 MHz and 123.100 MHz are authorized for use by aircraft engaged in seach and rescue activities in accordance with subpart M. These frequencies may be used for air-air and air-ground communications. (g) The frequency 4125 kHz may be used for distress and safety communications between aircraft and ship and coast maritime mobile stations. (h) The frequency 8364.0 kHz is authorized for use of survival craft for search and rescue communications with stations in the maritime mobile service. (i) The frequencies in the band 121.975–122.675 MHz are authorized for use by private aircraft of air traffic control operations. (1) The frequencies 122.00 and 122.050 MHz are authorized for use by air carrier and private aircraft stations for enroute flight advisory service (EFAS) provided by the FAA; (2) The frequency 122.100 MHz is authorized for use by air carrier aircraft stations for air traffic control operations at locations in Alaska where other frequencies are not available for air traffic control. (j) The frequency 122.750 MHz is authoried for use by private fixed wing aircraft for air-air communications. The frequency 123.025 MHz is authorized for use by helicopters for air-air Communications. (k) The frequencies 121.500 MHz and 243.000 MHz are emergency and distress frequences available for use by survival craft stations, emergency locator transmitters and equipment used for survival pruposes. Use of 121.500 MHz and 243.00 MHz shall be limited to transmission of signals and communications for survival purposes. Type A2A, A3E or A3N emission may be employed, except in the case of emergency locator transmitters where A3E, A3X and NON are permitted. (l) The frequencies 156.300, 156.375, 156,400, 156,425, 156.450, 156.625, 156.800 156.900 and 157.425 MHz may be used by aircraft stations to communicate with ship stations in accordance with part 80 and the following conditions: (1) The altitude of aircraft stations must not exceed 300 meters (1,000 feet), except for reconnaissance aircraft participating in icebreaking operations where an altitude of 450 meters (1,500 feet) is allowed; (2) Aircraft station transmitter power must not exceed five watts; (3) The frequency 156.300 MHz may be used for safety purposes only. The frequency 156.800 MHz may be used for distress, safety and calling purposes only. (4) Except in the Great Lakes and along the St. Lawrence Seaway the frequency 157.425 MHz is available for communications with commerical fishing vessels. (5) The frequency 156.375 MHz cannot be used in the New Orleans, LA, VTS protection area. No harmful interference shall be caused to the VTS. (m) The frequency 406.0–406.1 MHz is an emergency and distress frequency available for use by emergency locator transmitters. Use of this frequency must be limited to transmission of distress and safety communications. (n) The frequency band 960–1215 MHz is for the use of airborne electronic aids to air navigation and directly associated land stations. (o) The frequency band 1300-1350 MHz is for surveillance radar stations and associated airborne transponders. (p) The frequency band 1435–1525 MHz is available on a primary basis and the 1525–1535 MHz is available on a secondary basis for telemetry and telecommand associated with the flight testing of aircraft, missiles, or related major components. This includes launching into space, reentry into the earth's atmosphere and incidental orbiting prior to reentry. The following frequencies are shared with flight telemetry mobile stations: 1444.5, 1453.5, 1501.5, 1515.5, 1524.5 and 1525.5 MHz. See §87.303(d). Note: Aeronautical telemetry operations must protect mobile-satellite operations in the 1525–2535 MHz band and maritime mobile-satellite operations in the 1530–1535 MHz band. (q)(1) The frequencies in the bands 1545.000–1559.000 MHz, 1610.000–1626.500 MHz, 1646.500–1660.500 MHz, and 5000.000–5150.000 MHz are authorized for use by the Aeronautical Mobile-Satellite (R) Service. The use of the bands 1544.000–1545.000 MHz (space-to-Earth) and 1645.500–1646.500 MHz (Earth-to-space) by the Mobile-Satellite Service is limited to distress and safety operations. In the frequency bands 1549.500–1558.500 MHz, 1610.000–1626.500 MHz 1651.000–1660.000 MHz, and 5000.000–5150.000 MHz, the Aeronautical Mobile-Satellite (R) requirements that cannot be accommodated in the 1545.000–1549.5000 MHz, 1558.500–1559.000 MHz, 1646.500–1651.000 MHz, and 1660.000–1660.500 MHz bands shall have priority access with real-time preemptive capability for communications in the Mobile-Satellite Service. Systems not interoperable with the Aeronautical Mobile-Satellite (R) Service shall operate on a secondary basis. Account shall be taken of the priority of safety-related communications in the Mobile-Satellite Service. (2) In the frequency bands 1549.5–1558.5 MHz, 1610–1626.5 MHz, 1651–1660 MHz and 5000–5150 MHz, the Aeronautical-Mobile-Satellite (Route) Service requirements that cannot be accommodated in the 1545–1549.5 MHz, 1558.5–1559 MHz, 1646.5–1651 MHz and 1660–1660.5 MHz bands shall have priority access with real-time preemptive capability for communications in the mobile satellite service. Systems not interoperable with the Aeronautical Mobile-Satellite (Route) Service shall operate on a secondary basis. Account shall be taken of the priority of safety-related communications in the mobile-satellite service. (r) The frequency band 1559–1626.5 MHz is available for airborne electronic aids to air navigation and any associated land station. (s) The frequency band 4200–4400 MHz is reserved exclusively for radio altimeters. (t) The frequency band 5350–5470 MHz in the aeronautical radionavigation service is limited to airborne radars and associated airborne beacons. (u) The frequency band 8750–8850 MHz is available for use by airborne doppler radars in the aeronautical radionavigation service only on the condition that they must accept any interference which may be experienced from stations in the radiolocation service in the band 8500–10,000 MHz. (v) The frequency band 9300–9500 MHz is limited to airborne radars and associated airborne beacons. (w) The frequency band 13250–13400 MHz available for airborne doppler radar use. (x) The frequency bands 14000–14400, 24250–25250, 31800–33400 MHz are available for airborne radionavigation devices. (y) Brief keyed RF signals (keying the transmitter by momentarily depressing the microphone “push-to-talk” button) may be transmitted from aircraft for the control of automated unicoms on the unicom frequencies listed in paragraph (y)(3) of this section, or for the control of airport lights on the following frequencies: (1) Any air traffic control frequency listed in §87.421. (2) FAA Flight Service Station frequencies 121.975–122.675 MHz. (3) The unicom frequencies 122.700, 122.725, 122.800, 122.950, 122.975, 123.000, 123.050 and 123.075 MHz. (4) Aviation support station frequencies listed in §87.323(b): 121.950, 123.300 and 123.500 MHz if the frequency is assigned to a station at the airport and no harmful interference is caused to voice communications. If no such station is located at the concerned airport, aircraft may use one of the aviation support station frequencies for the control of airport lights. (5) The frequency 122.9 MHz when it is used as the common traffic advisory frequency at the concerned airport. (z) Frequencies for public correspondence between ships and public coast stations in the maritime mobile service (except frequencies in the 156–174 MHz band) and coast earth stations in the maritime mobile-satellite service are available for public correspondence between aircraft and public coast stations and coast earth stations, respectively. The transmission of public correspondence from aircraft must not cause interference to maritime communications. (aa) Frequencies in the 454.675–459.975 MHz band are available in the Public Mobile Radio Service (part 22) for use on board aircraft for communications with land mobile stations which are interconnected to the nationwide public telephone system. (bb) The frequencies 121.950 MHz, 122.850 MHz and 127.0501 1 Until further notice this frequency is available for air-to-air use as described in the Grand Canyon vicinity. Availability is a result of the FAA's assignment of this frequency. If the FAA reassigns this frequency the Commission may require air-to-air use to cease.
36–27–59.9 N. Lat; 112–47–2.7 W. Long. 36–27–59.9 N. Lat; 112–48–2.7 W. Long. 35–50–00.0 N. Lat; 112–48–2.7 W. Long. 35–43–00.0 N. Lat; 112–47–2.7 W. Long. (cc) The frequency 120.650 MHz2 is authorized for air-to-air use for aircraft up to and including 3 km (10,000 ft) mean sea level within the area bounded by the following coordinates (all coordinates are referenced to North American Datum 1983 (NAD83)):
35–59–44.9 N. Lat; 114–51–48.0 W. Long. 36–09–29.9 N. Lat; 114–50–3.0 W. Long. 36–09–29.9 N. Lat; 114–02–57.9 W. Long. 35–54–45.0 N. Lat; 113–48–47.8 W. Long. (dd) The frequencies 136.425, 136.450, 136.475, and 136.500 MHz are designated for flight information services-broadcast (FIS-B) and may not be used by aircraft for transmission. (ee) The frequency 121.95 MHz is authorized for air-to-ground and air-to-air communications for aircraft up to 13000 feet above mean sea level (AMSL) within the area bounded by the following coordinates (all coordinates are referenced to North American Datum 1983 (NAD83)): 32–35–00 N. Lat.; 117–12–00 W. Long. 32–42–00 N. Lat.; 116–56–00 W. Long. 32–41–00 N. Lat.; 116–41–00 W. Long. 32–35–00 N. Lat.; 116–38–00 W. Long. 32–31–00 N. Lat.; 117–11–00 W. Long. [53 FR 28940, Aug. 1, 1988, as amended at 54 FR 23214, May 31, 1989; 54 FR 49995, Dec. 4, 1989; 55 FR 7333, Mar. 1, 1990; 56 FR 11518, Mar. 19, 1991; 56 FR 18525, Apr. 23, 1991; 57 FR 45750, Oct. 5, 1992; 58 FR 30127, May 26, 1993; 58 FR 44954, Aug. 25, 1993; 58 FR 52021, Oct. 6, 1993; 60 FR 37829, July 24, 1995; 60 FR 40227, Aug. 7, 1995; 63 FR 68957, Dec. 14, 1998; 64 FR 27475, May 20, 1999; 66 FR 26800, May 15, 2001; 69 FR 32884, June 14, 2004] (a) Transmitters used for public correspondence by aircraft stations in the maritime mobile frequency bands must be authorized by the Commission in conformity with part 80 of this chapter. (b) Transmitters used for public correspondence by aircraft stations in the Aeronautical Mobile-Satellite (R) or Maritime Mobile-Satellite frequencies must be certificated by the Commission in conformity with part 87. Aircraft earth stations that are required to be commissioned to use a privately owned satellite system also must meet the provisions of §87.51. (c) A continuous watch must be maintained on the frequencies used for safety and regularity of flight while public correspondence communications are being handled. For aircraft earth stations, this requirement is satisfied by compliance with the priority and preemptive access requirements of §87.187(q). (d) All communications in the Aeronautical Mobile Service and the Aeronautical Mobile-Satellite (R) Service have priority over public correspondence. (e) Transmission of public correspondence must be suspended when such operation will delay or interfere with message pertaining to safety of life and property or regularity of flight, or when ordered by the captain of the aircraft. [53 FR 28940, Aug. 1, 1988, as amended at 57 FR 45750, Oct. 5, 1992; 63 FR 36608, July 7, 1998; 69 FR 32884, June 14, 2004] (a) Aircraft of member States of the International Civil Aviation Organization may carry and operate radio transmitters in the United States airspace only if a license has been issued by the State in which the aircraft is registered and the flight crew is provided with a radio operator license of the proper class, issued or recognized by the State in which the aircraft is registered. The use of radio transmitters in the United States airspace must comply with these rules and regulations. (b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this section where an agreement with a foreign government has been entered into with respect to aircraft registered in the United States but operated by an aircraft operator who is subject to regulation by that foreign government, the aircraft radio station license and aircraft radio operator license may be issued by such foreign government. Transmissions by emergency locator transmitters (ELTs) are intended to be actuated manually or automatically and operated automatically as part of an aircraft or a survival craft station as a locating aid for survival purposes. (a) ELTs transmit on the frequency 121.500 MHz, using A3E, A3X or NON emission. ELTs that transmit on the frequency 406.0–406.1 MHz use G1D emission. (b) The frequency 243.000 MHz is an emergency and distress frequency available for use by survival craft stations, ELTs and equipment used for survival purposes which are also equipped to transmit on the frequency 121.500 MHz. Use of 243.000 MHz must be limited to transmission of signals and communications for survival purposes. In the case of ELTs use of A3E, A3X or NON emission is permitted. [53 FR 28940, Aug. 1, 1988, as amended at 56 FR 11518, Mar. 19, 1991; 58 FR 30128, May 26, 1993; 69 FR 32884, June 14, 2004] ELT testing must avoid outside radiation. Bench and ground tests conducted outside of an RF-shielded enclosure must be conducted with the ELT terminated into a dummy load. (a) Except for the spurious emission limits specified in §87.139(h), 406.0–406.1 MHz ELTs must meet all the technical and performance standards contained in the Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics document titled “Minimum Operational Performance Standards 406 MHz Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELT)” Document No. RTCA/DO–204 dated September 29, 1989. This RTCA document is incorporated by reference in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a), and 1 CFR part 51. Copies of the document are available and may be obtained from the Radio Technical Commission of Aeronautics, One McPherson Square, 1425 K Street NW., Washington, DC 20005. The document is available for inspection at Commission headquarters at 445 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20554. Copies may also be inspected at the Office of the Federal Register, 800 North Capital Street NW., suite 700, Washington, DC. (b) The 406.0–406.1 MHz ELT must contain as an integral part a homing beacon operating only on 121.500 MHz that meets all the requirements described in the RTCA Recommended Standards document described in paragraph (a) of this section. The 121.500 MHz homing beacon must have a continuous duty cycle that may be interrupted during the transmission of the 406.0–406.1 MHz signal only. (c) Prior to verification of a 406.0–406.1 MHz ELT, the ELT must be certified by a test facility recognized by one of the COSPAS/SARSAT Partners that the equipment satisfies the design characteristics associated with the COSPAS/SARSAT document COSPAS/SARSAT 406 MHz Distress Beacon Type Approval Standard (C/S T.007). Additionally, an independent test facility must certify that the ELT complies with the electrical and environmental standards associated with the RTCA Recommended Standards. (d) The procedures for verification are contained in subpart J of part 2 of this chapter. (e) An identification code, issued by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the United States Program Manager for the 406.0–406.1 MHz COSPAS/SARSAT satellite system, must be programmed in each ELT unit to establish a unique identification for each ELT station. With each marketable ELT unit the manufacturer or grantee must include a postage pre-paid registration card printed with the ELT identification code addressed to: NOAA/SARSAT Beacon Registration, E/SP3, Federal Building 4, Room 3320, 5200 Auth Road, Suitland, MD 20746–4304. The registration card must request the owner's name, address, telephone, type of aircraft, alternate emergency contact, and other information as required by NOAA. The registration card must also contain information regarding the availability to register the ELT at NOAA's online Web-based registration database at: http://www.beaconregistration.noaa.gov. Further, the following statement must be included: “WARNING “ Failure to register this ELT with NOAA before installation could result in a monetary forfeiture being issued to the owner.” (f) To enhance protection of life and property, it is mandatory that each 406.0–406.1 MHz ELT must be registered with NOAA before installation and that information be kept up-to-date. In addition to the identification plate or label requirements contained in §§2.925 and 2.926 of this chapter, each 406.0–406.1 MHz ELT must be provided on the outside with a clearly discernable permanent plate or label containing the following statement: “The owner of this 406.0–406.1 MHz ELT must register the NOAA identification code contained on this label with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), whose address is: NOAA/SARSAT Beacon Registration, E/SP3, Federal Building 4, Room 3320, 5200 Auth Road, Suitland, MD 20746–4304.” Aircraft owners shall advise NOAA in writing upon change of aircraft or ELT ownership, or any other change in registration information. Fleet operators must notify NOAA upon transfer of ELT to another aircraft outside of the owner's control, or an other change in registration information. NOAA will provide registrants with proof of registration and change of registration postcards. (g) For 406.0–406.1 MHz ELTs whose identification code can be changed after manufacture, the identification code shown on the plant or label must be easily replaceable using commonly available tools. [69 FR 32885, June 14, 2004]
Title 47: Telecommunication
PART 87—AVIATION SERVICES
Subpart F—Aircraft Stations
§ 87.185 Scope of service.
§ 87.187 Frequencies.
§ 87.189 Requirements for public correspondence equipment and operations.
§ 87.191 Foreign aircraft stations.
Emergency Locator Transmitters
§ 87.193 Scope of service.
§ 87.195 Frequencies.
§ 87.197 ELT test procedures.
§ 87.199 Special requirements for 406.0–406.1 MHz ELTs.
