Which procedure is recommended to ensure that the ELT has not been activated?

• A. Monitor 121.5 before engine shutdown
• B. Monitor 121.5 after engine shutdown
• C. Monitor 406 MHz during flight
• D. Listen on 243.0 during taxi

Answer: (A)

Monitor 121.5 MHz before engine shutdown. This is the emergency voice distress frequency that is commonly monitored in the cockpit, so listening on it just before shutting down lets you verify that no ELT transmission is active as you power down. If you hear a signal, you know an ELT has activated and you can take appropriate action before leaving the aircraft. The other options don’t provide an immediate, reliable check: monitoring 406 MHz is a satellite-linked distress channel that isn’t audible in the cockpit for a status check, and listening on 243.0 during taxi isn’t a standard or effective ELT monitoring practice.