What Are Black Boxes?
- Despite the name, black boxes are painted bright orange for high visibility at crash sites.
- Modern aircraft black boxes include:
- Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) – captures crew conversations, alarms, and ambient cockpit sounds.
- Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR) – records technical flight data such as altitude, speed, engine performance, etc.
- In many aircraft, CVR and DFDR are integrated into a single unit.
Relevance : GS 3(Technology, Disaster Management)
How Do They Work?
- Black boxes record data continuously during flight.
- Use solid-state memory chips for high durability and long recording duration.
- Are shock-resistant, fire-resistant, and often waterproof.
- Equipped with underwater locator beacons that emit signals to help locate them after a crash.
- Positioned typically at the rear of the aircraft, where survival chances are higher during a crash.
Technical Features
- Coated in bright orange with reflective materials.
- Designed to withstand extreme conditions:
- Temperatures up to 1,100°C for 1 hour
- Water pressure at depths up to 20,000 feet
- High-impact crashes (forces of 3,400 Gs or more)
- CVRs usually record last 2 hours of cockpit audio.
- DFDRs record data on hundreds of parameters for 25 hours or more.
Historical Timeline
- 1950s: Flight recorders used metal foils.
- 1953: First commercial sale by General Mills; device used spherical shell.
- 1954: Invented by David Warren (Australia) while investigating the de Havilland Comet crash.
- 1960: FDRs and CVRs made mandatory in aircraft.
- 1965: Regulation to paint them orange or yellow for visibility.
- 1990: Magnetic tapes replaced by solid-state memory.
Use in Accident Investigation
- Investigated by agencies like India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).
- AAIB has a dedicated flight recorders lab (established in New Delhi).
- Flight data + cockpit voice insights help reconstruct:
- Pre-crash aircraft behaviour
- Crew reactions, errors, or communication failures
- External interference like radio disruptions
- Helps refine safety protocols, pilot training, and aircraft design.
Recent Context
- Used in ongoing probe into Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crash near Ahmedabad.
- Remains a critical tool in global civil aviation safety infrastructure.
