(a)

(1) The General Assembly finds and declares that it is in the interest of public safety to facilitate by the most expeditious means available the search for and location of aircraft which have crashed or been forced to land in remote or inaccessible areas.

(2) It is therefore the policy of this state that all civil aircraft, except aircraft used for agricultural spraying or crop dusting, experimental aircraft operating for testing purposes, aircraft of primarily antique or historical value or interest, gliders, and lighter-than-air craft located for tax purposes within the territorial limits of this state, shall be equipped with an approved device capable of indicating by radio transmissions the position of the aircraft when grounded because of mechanical or other failure at a place other than at an airport.

(b) The Arkansas Department of Aeronautics shall establish minimum standards for downed aircraft radio transmitting devices. The standards shall require that the devices be used on all aircraft, except as provided otherwise in this subchapter.

(c)

(1) Upon petition by the owner of any aircraft, the department may exempt the aircraft from the requirements of a downed aircraft rescue transmitter upon a showing to the satisfaction of the department that the device would not sufficiently increase the safety of operations in the particular case.

(2) The provisions of this subchapter shall not apply to air carrier aircraft operating pursuant to both a federal certificate of public convenience and necessity and a federal air carrier operating certificate.