Why in the News?
Authorities have recovered the black box from the crash site of the recent incident in Ahmedabad.
About Black Boxes:
- Purpose: Black boxes are essential flight data recording devices used in aircraft to aid in accident investigation and flight safety analysis.
- Development: Australian scientist David Warren in 1954, developed the first practical FDR after investigating mid-air explosions.
- Color and Visibility: Despite the name, black boxes are painted bright orange with reflective material to make them easily visible after a crash.
- Two Main Types: Aircraft typically have two black boxes:
-
- Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and
- Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR).
- Single Unit: Some aircraft integrate both functions into a single combined unit.
- How does it work?
- Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR): The CVR records cockpit audio, including pilot conversations, radio transmissions, alarm sounds, and background noises like engine hum or warning tones.
- Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR): The DFDR logs key flight performance data, including altitude, airspeed, direction, engine parameters, and system operations, capturing thousands of data points per second.
- Installation Location: Black boxes are usually installed in the tail section of the aircraft, as this area is statistically more likely to remain intact in a crash.
- Recording Capacity: The CVR records the last 2 hours of cockpit audio on a continuous loop, while the DFDR stores up to 25 hours of flight data.
- Durability and Protection: Black boxes use solid-state memory chips housed in crash-survivable casings that can endure high-impact forces, extreme temperatures (up to 1,100°C), and deep-sea pressure.
- Underwater Locator Beacons (ULBs): Each black box includes a beacon that emits signals for up to 30 days, aiding search teams in locating the devices in the event of a water crash.
Use of Black Boxes in India:
- Regulation in India: In India, aircraft crash investigations are conducted by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, using black box data as primary evidence.
- Recent Development (April 2025): India established its first dedicated Flight Recorders Laboratory in New Delhi, strengthening the country’s capability to analyze crash data independently and efficiently.
| [UPSC 2025] GPS-Aided Geo Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) uses a system of ground stations to provide necessary augmentation. Which of the following statements is/are correct in respect of GAGAN?
I. It is designed to provide additional accuracy and integrity. II. It will allow more uniform and high-quality air traffic management. III. It will provide benefits only in aviation but not in other modes of transportation. Options: (a) I, II and III (b) II and III only (c) I only (d) I and II only* |
Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024
