Which combination of devices are used to aid in locating people or aircraft in distress?

• A. ELT and PLB
• B. ELT and GPS
• C. GPS and VOR
• D. VOR and ADF

Answer: (A)

Distress locating relies on active emergency beacons that transmit signals to search-and-rescue networks. An ELT is built into aircraft and can activate automatically after a crash or manually by crew, sending a distress signal. A PLB is a portable beacon carried by a person that also sends a distress signal when activated. Together, they ensure both aircraft and individuals can be detected quickly by satellites and rescue teams. Some beacons also include GPS to provide precise location data, but GPS alone doesn’t broadcast a distress signal. Navigation aids like VOR and ADF don’t transmit distress signals; they’re used for piloting navigation rather than search-and-rescue. Therefore, the combination that directly aids locating people or aircraft in distress is ELT and PLB.