Airplanes come in all shapes, sizes, and roles, from fighters to propeller-driven, single-engine planes, but they all have one thing in common: a black box.
The flight data recorder, known as the black box, must be installed in every aircraft these days, being the most important tool for monitoring flights.
Black boxes are not black
It is basically an essential device used in aviation to record important data and sounds during flights. Despite its name, it is not actually a black object, but is painted bright orange to make it easy to find in case of an accident.
This device plays an essential role in the investigation of air incidents by providing information about what happened during the flight leading up to the event.
This information is captured by various sensors and instruments placed in the aircraft, which then feed the data stored in the secure black box.
The black boxes store flight data from the last 25 hours before an accident and the last two hours of cabin sound.
Everything about a black box is designed so that if something bad happens, the only thing that survives is this little orange box.
The box itself is coated with a heat-resistant coating and is constructed of stainless steel or titanium to survive extreme heat, pressure and impact.
The data recorded by the black box is stored in solid-state memory, designed to withstand extreme conditions such as fire and submersion in water. This robustness is crucial as it allows the device to survive catastrophic accidents and aids further investigation.
The moment a plane hits the sea, the black box begins to emit signals and can do so for up to 90 days, allowing officials to locate it and understand what happened.
Black boxes have probably saved countless lives since they became mandatory in 1958.
