A “Black Box” is essentially a hybrid of the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), two distinct devices.
- What it records: While the CVR captures audio from the cockpit, including pilot talks and aircraft sounds, the FDR records a variety of flight statistics, such as altitude, airspeed, heading, etc.
- Importance: These recordings are essential for accident investigations since they help identify the reason of a collision and prevent such accidents in the future by influencing safety laws and training protocols.
- Design: Black boxes can be recovered even after serious incidents since they are made to endure harsh environments like heavy impacts, flames, and submersion.
How FDR works in Aircraft
An apparatus for documenting particular aircraft performance metrics. An FDR is used to gather and store data from various aircraft sensors on a media that is intended to withstand an accident.
Historically, an FDR and a cockpit voice recorder (CVR) have been the two “flight recorders” that are carried aboard airplanes. These days, when both kinds of recorders are installed, they are occasionally merged into one unit.
