FAQs about the Black boxes in the aeroplanes

Are “Black Boxes” really black?

The “Black Box”, despite its name, is not black. 

Although they are called “black boxes,” aviation recorders are actually painted bright orange. This distinct colour, along with the strips of reflective tape attached to the recorders’ exteriors, help investigators locate the black boxes following an accident. These are especially helpful when a plane lands in the water.

There are two possible origins of the term black box: Some believe it’s because early recorders were painted black, while others think it refers to the charring that occurs in post-accident fires.

In addition to the paint and reflective tape, black boxes are equipped with an underwater locator beacon (ULB). If you look at the picture of a black box, you will almost always see a small, cylindrical object attached to one end of the device.

While it doubles as a carrying handle, this cylinder is actually a beacon.

1. The Cockpit Voice
Recorder (CVR) used to record cockpit, intercom, and pilot to controller
communications. 

2. The Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR) used to
record aircraft flight control inputs, flight parameters (speed, altitude,
etc.), and system performance. 

Why is the
black box so important?

With the
advent of jet airliners in the late 1950s, analyzing critical details of
aircraft performance became paramount during crash investigations, and two new
devices were added as standard equipment on airliners: the CVR and the FDR (now DFDR).
 

The black
box is extremely important, as it records everything that happens in the
cockpit, including what the pilot/copilot says, what buttons they press,
everything. In the event of a crash, the black box can be retrieved, as it is
virtually indestructible, and has a radar emitter. They can then analyse the
data from it to discover what happened just before the crash.

Who invented
the flight black box recorder?

David
Warren invented the black box flight recorder in 1953.

What are
black boxes made out of?

They are typically
double wrapped, in strong corrosion-resistant stainless steel or titanium, with
high-temperature insulation inside. They are designed to withstand high impact
forces and high temperatures from fires.

Why don’t
they make the entire plane out of black box material?

The
material that the black box is made of is too heavy. A whole plane made of the
same material (All stainless steel), it would have a hard time getting off the
ground and would be ridiculously expensive.

Is a black box
reprogrammed in every flight?

The black box  is constantly re-writing itself so it holds the last series of
events. It does not need to be reprogrammed.

 

Why do
aircraft need a black box recorder – why can’t the info be transmitted live?

The black
box has proven to be one of the best tools the aircrash investigators have in
understanding an accident. This helps us avoid similar accidents in the future.
The info cant be transmitted live because it would take up too much bandwith
for every aircraft to transmit all its data at the same time.

Failures in
aircraft systems can be relayed real time by a system called ACARS but the
black box contains a lot more info and would have to be a constant stream.

 

What kind of
airplane uses the black box?

The FAA
mandates that any aircraft with 10 seats or more must have a flight data
recorder (black box).

Most
aircraft smaller than that size do not have a black box.

Sky-tours wishes you a pleasant and safe trip!