BLACK BOX

SEMINAR REPORT

CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION
2. RECORDING AND STORAGE TECHNIQUE
I. MAGNETIC TAPE
II.

SOLID STATE TECHNOLOGY

3. COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER

4. FLIGHT DATA RECORDER
5. CONSTRUCTION
6. TESTING OF CSMU
7. AFTER CRASH
8. RETRIEVING INFORMATION
9. APPLICATION
10. REFERENCE

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INTRODUCTION
If any airplane crash, there are many unanswered
questions as to what brought the plane down. Investigators
turn to the airplane's flight data recorder (FDR) and cockpit
voice recorder (CVR), also known as "black boxes," for
answers. In Flight 261, the FDR contained 48 parameters of
flight data, and the CVR recorded a little more than 30
minutes of conversation and other audible cockpit noises.
These recording devices, which cost between $10,000 an
$15,000 each, reveal details of the events immediately
preceding the accident. In this article, we will look at the two
types of black boxes, how they survive crashes, and how
they are retrieved and analyzed.

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RECORDING AND STORAGE

Although many of the black boxes in use today use
magnetic tape, which was first introduced in the 1960s,
airlines are moving to solid-state memory boards, which
came along in the 1990s. Magnetic tape works like any tape
recorder. The Mylar tape is pulled across an electromagnetic
head, which leaves a bit of data on the tape.
Black-box

manufacturers

are

no

longer

making

magnetic tape recorders as airlines begin a full transition to

solid-state technology.

THE MAGNETIC TAPE INSIDE THE FLIGHT DATA RECORDER

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SOLID-STATE TECHNOLOGY

Solid-state recorders are considered much more

reliable than their magnetic-tape counterparts, according to
Ron Crotty, a spokesperson for Honeywell, a black-box
manufacturer. Solid state uses stacked arrays of memory
chips, so they don't have moving parts. With no moving
parts, there are fewer maintenance issues and a decreased
chance of something breaking during a crash.
Data from both the CVR and FDR is stored on stacked
memory boards inside the crash-survivable memory unit
(CSMU). The CSMU is a cylindrical compartment on the
recorder. The stacked memory boards are about 1.75 inches
(4.45 cm) in diameter and 1 inch (2.54 cm) tall.
The memory boards have enough digital storage space
to accommodate two hours of audio data for CVRs and 25
hours of flight data for FDRs.

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SOLID STATE RECORBER

Airplanes are equipped with sensors that gather data.

There are sensors that detect acceleration, airspeed,
altitude,

flap

settings,

outside

temperature,

cabin

temperature and pressure, engine performance and more.

Magnetic-tape recorders can track about 100 parameters,
while solid-state recorders can track more than 700 in larger
aircraft.
All of the data collected by the airplane's sensors is
sent to the flight-data acquisition unit (FDAU) at the front
of the aircraft. This device often is found in the electronic
equipment bay under the cockpit. The flight-data acquisition
unit is the middle manager of the entire data-recording
process. It takes the information from the sensors and sends
it on to the black boxes.

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BASIC COMPONET AND OPERATION OF AN AVIATION RECORDING SYSTEM

Both black boxes are powered by one of two power

generators that draw their power from the plane's engines.
One generator is a 28-volt DC power source, and the other
is a 115-volt, 400-hertz (Hz) AC power source. These are
standard aircraft power supplies, according to Frank Doran,
director of engineering for L-3 Communications Aviation
Recorders.

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COCKPIT VOICE RECORDERS

In almost every commercial aircraft, there are several
microphones built into the cockpit to track the conversations
of the flight crew. These microphones are also designed to
track any ambient noise in the cockpit, such as switches
being thrown or any knocks or thuds. There may be up to
four microphones in the plane's cockpit, each connected to
the cockpit voice recorder (CVR).
Any sounds in the cockpit are picked up by these
microphones and sent to the CVR, where the recordings are
digitized and stored. There is also another device in the
cockpit, called the associated control unit, that provides
pre-amplification for audio going to the CVR. Here are the
positions of the four microphones:

Pilot's headset

Co-pilot's headset

Headset of a third crew member (if there is a third crew

member)

Near the center of the cockpit, where it can pick up

audio alerts and other sounds

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Most magnetic-tape CVRs store the last 30 minutes of

sound. They use a continuous loop of tape that completes a
cycle every 30 minutes. As new material is recorded, the
oldest material is replaced. CVRs that used solid-state
storage can record two hours of audio. Similar to the
magnetic-tape recorders, solid-state recorders also record
over old material.

FLIGHT DATA RECORDERS

The flight data recorder (FDR) is designed to record
the operating data from the plane's systems. There are
sensors that are wired from various areas on the plane to the
flight-data acquisition unit, which is wired to the FDR. When
a switch is turned on or off, that operation is recorded by the
FDR.

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DAMAGED FDR

Magnetic-tape recorders have the potential to record up

to 100 parameters. Solid-state FDRs can record more than
700 parameters.

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PARAMETERS RECORDED BY FDRS:

Time

Pressure altitude

Airspeed

Vertical acceleration

Magnetic heading

Control-column position

Rudder-pedal position

Control-wheel position

Horizontal stabilizer

Fuel flow
Solid-state recorders can track more parameters than

magnetic tape because they allow for a faster data flow.

Solid-state FDRs can store up to 25 hours of flight data.
Each additional parameter that is recorded by the FDR gives
investigators one more clue about the cause of an accident.

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BUILT TO SURVIVE
In many airline accidents, the only devices that survive
are the crash-survivable memory units (CSMUs) of the
flight data recorders and cockpit voice recorders. Typically,
the rest of the recorders' chassis and inner components are
mangled. The CSMU is a large cylinder that bolts onto the
flat portion of the recorder. This device is engineered to
withstand extreme heat, violent crashes and tons of
pressure. In older magnetic-tape recorders, the CSMU is
inside a rectangular box.

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SOLID STATE RECORDER

Using three layers of materials, the CSMU in a solidstate black box insulates and protects the stack of memory
boards that store the digitized information. We will talk more
about the memory and electronics in the next section. Here's
a closer look at the materials that provide a barrier for the
memory boards, starting at the innermost barrier and
working our way outward:

Aluminum housing - There is a thin layer of aluminum

around the stack of memory cards.

High-temperature insulation - This dry-silica material

is 1 inch (2.54 cm) thick and provides high-temperature
thermal protection. This is what keeps the memory
boards safe during post-accident fires.

Stainless-steel shell- The high-temperature insulation

material is contained within a stainless-steel cast shell
that is about 0.25 inches (0.64 cm) thick. Titanium can
be used to create this outer armor as well.

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TESTING A CSMU
To ensure the quality and survivability of black boxes,
manufacturers thoroughly test the CSMUs. Remember, only
the CSMU has to survive a crash -- if accident investigators
have that, they can retrieve the information they need.

There are several tests that make up the crash-survival

sequence

Crash impact - . This impact force is equal to or in

excess of what a recorder might experience in an actual
crash.

Pin drop - To test the unit's penetration resistance,

researchers drop a 500-pound (227-kg) weight with a
0.25-inch steel pin protruding from the bottom onto the
CSMU from a height of 10 feet (3 m). This pin, with
500-pounds behind it, impacts the CSMU cylinder's
most vulnerable axis.

Fire test - Researchers place the unit into a propanesource fireball, cooking it using three burners. .

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Deep-sea submersion - The CSMU is placed into a

pressurized tank of salt water for 24 hours.

Salt-water submersion - The CSMU must survive in a

salt water tank for 30 days.

Fluid immersion - Various CSMU components are

placed into a variety of aviation fluids, including jet fuel,
lubricants and fire-extinguisher chemicals.

Black boxes are usually sold directly to and installed by

the airplane manufacturers. Both black boxes are installed in
the tail of the plane -- putting them in the back of the aircraft
increases their chances of survival. The precise location of
the recorders depends on the individual plane. Sometimes
they are located in the ceiling of the galley, in the aft cargo
hold or in the tail cone that covers the rear of the aircraft.
"Typically, the tail of the aircraft is the last portion of the
aircraft to impact," Doran said. "The whole front portion of
the airplane provides a crush zone, which assists in the
deceleration of tail components, including the recorders, and
enhances the likelihood that the crash-protected memory of
the recorder will survive.

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UNDERWATER LOCATOR BEACON

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 handle for carrying the black
box, this cylinder is actually a beacon.

UNDERWATER LOCATOR BEACON

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If a plane crashes into the water, this beacon sends

out an ultrasonic pulse that cannot be heard by human ears
but is readily detectable by sonar and acoustical locating
equipment. There is a submergence sensor on the side of
the beacon that looks like a bull's-eye. When water touches
this sensor, it activates the beacon.
The beacon sends out pulses at 37.5 kilohertz (kHz)
and can transmit sound as deep as 14,000 feet (4,267 m).
Once the beacon begins "pinging," it pings once per second
for 30 days. This beacon is powered by a battery that has a
shelf life of six years. In rare instances, the beacon may get
snapped off during a high-impact collision.

RETRIEVING INFORMATION
After finding the black boxes, investigators take the
recorders to a lab where they can download the data from
the recorders and attempt to recreate the events of the
accident. This process can take weeks or months to
complete. In the United States, black-box manufacturers
supply the NTSB with the readout systems and software
needed to do a full analysis of the recorders' stored data.

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THIS PORTABLE INTERFACE CAN ALLOW INVESTIGATORS QUICK ACCESS TO THE

DATA ON A BLACK BOX.

If the FDR is not damaged, investigators can simply

play it back on the recorder by connecting it to a readout
system. With solid-state recorders, investigators can extract
stored data in a matter of minutes. Very often, recorders
retrieved from wreckage are dented or burned. In these
cases, the memory boards are removed, cleaned up and a
new memory interface cable is installed. Then the memory
board is connected to a working recorder. This recorder has
special software to facilitate the retrieval of data without the
possibility of overwriting any of it.

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Both the FDR and CVR are invaluable tools for any
aircraft investigation. These are often the lone survivors of
airplane accidents, and as such provide important clues to
the cause that would be impossible to obtain any other way.
As technology evolves, black boxes will continue to play a
tremendous role in accident investigations.

OTHER USES FOR BLACK BOX TECHNOLOGY

Currently, black boxes aren't just taking flight -- they're
being grounded as well. Several automobile manufacturers
are utilizing black box technology in their automobiles and a
few have been doing so for quite some time. According to an
article titled "Black boxes in GM cars increasingly help police
after accidents" General Motors has been using black box
technology for over a decade.
So, black box technology has moved from airplanes to
automobiles -- where is it headed next? It could be on you.
Right now it's just a prototype, but soon the SenseCam could
provide you with an incredible amount of information about -well, you!

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CONCLUSION
So, black box technology has moved from airplanes to
automobiles -- where is it headed next?
There are improvements on the horizon for black box
technology. Reportedly, some form of cockpit video recorder
will be developed. Such a recorder would be able to store
video images in solid-state memory.

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