SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING EMERGENCY LOCATION FUNCTIONALITY

Aircraft tracking and emergency location avionics architectures that integrate existing fixed Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) installations, their associated aircraft avionics systems and existing flight deck interfaces with an Autonomous Distress Tracker (ADT) transceiver unit in a coupled configuration. Some of the architectures allow the ADT unit and its advanced distress detecting and reporting capabilities to monitor the activation control path for the ELT and the associated ELT activation outputs. Other architectures place the ADT unit and its advanced distress detection capabilities and ground-controlled capabilities in the activation control path for the ELT. Additional architectures entail the connection of an ADT unit to an ELT remote panel on the flight deck of an aircraft.