| The search for the black box from Air France 447, | | | | painted orange so that it is more easily recovered in |
| which crashed into the middle of the Atlantic Ocean | | | | the ocean or the wilderness. |
| in June, has been a major news story globally and | | | | This defensive shell can protect the data storage unit |
| Airbus says it is willing to spend up to 20 million euros | | | | from an impact of 3,400 times the force of gravity, |
| to recover this invaluable device. Device recovery | | | | temperatures as high as 1, 100 degrees Celsius and |
| from black boxes (formally Flight Information Data | | | | crushing by 2,300 Kilograms of force. The crash data |
| Recorders) is the ultimate in crash data recovery: a | | | | in the box is also recoverable after the black box has |
| plane will plunge into the sea leaving only destruction | | | | been lying in an ocean depth of 6.5 kilometers for a |
| and no survivors in its wake. Yet, once the black box | | | | month. |
| is retrieved it is still possible for data recovery | | | | The box records all data about the current state of |
| experts to save this data and discover what went | | | | the plane. This includes its control position, engine |
| wrong on the flight, but why is a black box able to | | | | information, general performance and sometimes |
| achieve the impossible and survive a crash which | | | | conversations in the cockpit, radio communication and |
| annihilates everything else? | | | | ambient sounds. The black box crash data is |
| The name, black box, describes a data storage | | | | recorded for approximately 20 hours in a continuous |
| system which is difficult for users to access and the | | | | loop in flight and is then transferred to a solid state |
| crash data recovery process is tricky even for | | | | recorder for evaluation with specialised accident |
| experienced professionals. The data storage unit, | | | | investigation equipment after recovery. |
| which is very like one in a home or office computer, | | | | The data recovered from a black box reveals the |
| is hidden in three almost indestructible boxes: a | | | | cause of the accident; this allows airlines and plane |
| thermal box is placed inside an insulation box which is | | | | manufacturers to determine whether the accident |
| then placed in a titanium or steel box and then stored | | | | was caused by pilot error or faulty parts. As a result, |
| in the tail of the aircraft to protect it from high | | | | steps can be taken to prevent a similar accident in |
| impact. The unit is shorter than a 30cm ruler and is | | | | the future and provides closure to victims' families. |