The Role of Flight Recorders

Accident Investigation and the Role of Flight Recorders

Most members of the general public would be aware through media reports of a major aircraft disaster, that Regular Public Transport (RPT) aircraft are required to be fitted with a crash recorder or “black box” (actually bright orange or yellow). What is not generally known is that the requirement goes beyond crash recording and that certain flight parameters are required to be recorded each flight for subsequent analysis if necessary.

As outlined in Dec AA, flight data recording was addressed in some detail at the 22nd annual seminar of the International Society of Air Safety Investigators (ISASIS) held late last year in Canberra. This article is based on presentations made at that seminar.

Fight Data Recorder Development History

The flight recorder is not a modern development, the Wright Brothers actually recorded altitude and airspeed using a rudimentary stylus mechanically writing on a drum. However, it was not until 1941 that US Federal regulations were issued requiring installation of flight data recorders (FDR’s) on specified types of aircraft. This first regulation required the recording of pressure altitude and radio transmitter operation (on or off).

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