Boeing certifies ARTEX locator for 737 aircraft

The ELT 5000 has entered service as the only approved distress tracking option for 737s following a full platform certification.

ACR Electronics’ ARTEX ELT 5000 has been type-certified on the Boeing 737 family, becoming the only selectable distress tracking (DT) Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT-DT) option available for these aircraft. Certification comes as the 737 platform achieved compliance with the Global Aeronautical Distress and Safety System (GADSS).

Purpose-built to meet GADSS autonomous distress tracking (ADT) requirements, the ELT 5000 features satellite tracking technology and was previously granted FAA TSO approval in 2024. This certification marks the final step for entry into service on a Boeing platform. Additional certifications for the 767, 777 and 787 are expected to follow.

The device has already been available as an option, but this latest milestone allows operators to start retrofitting aircraft delivered from 1 January 2024 in line with regulatory needs.

“This milestone represents over three years of close collaboration between Boeing and ACR Electronics, driven by a shared mission to meet new GADSS-ADT requirements,” says ARTEX Vice President and General Manager Jeff Geraci. “The successful entry into service of the ELT 5000 is the result of that focused partnership and our collective commitment to meeting the evolving demands of the industry.”

Designed, manufactured and tested in the United States, the ELT 5000 supports integration with modern aircraft systems and continues ACR’s work supplying emergency safety technologies across the commercial, military and general aviation sectors.