(Accredited by NAAC, New Delhi)

TECHNICAL SEMINAR:

AIRCRAFT
BLACK BOX

ECE DEPARTMENT
K.Sai Kiran
13P61A04A2
 CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
INSIDE THE BLACK BOX
TECHNOLOGY USED
COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER
FLIGHT DATA RECORDER
BUILT TO SURVIVE
TESTING A CSMU
AFTER A CRASH
RETRIEVING INFORMATION
ADVANTAGES
FUTURE OF BLACK BOX
INTRODUCTION:
With the progressing technology, the speed of travelling has
also increased. The source and destination became so close to each
other.

The main advancement is in the field of air travelling

system with the help of airplane. This is the major discovery of
technology. But as the speed increased, the horror of air crash was
also introduced. If a plane crashes at a height of 2000m and above,
it will be a terror for anybody.

Airplane accidents are statistical rarities. But when they

happen, they're often fatal, and people want answers as to why their
loved ones died. There are usually many unanswered questions as to
what brought the plane down.
INSIDE THE BLACK BOX :

Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR)

Flight Data Recorder (FDR)

TECHNOLOGY USED:

The introduction of the CVR in the late 1960s and

DFDRs in the early 1970s made magnetic tape the recording
medium of choice until the introduction of solid-state flight
recorders in the late 1980s.
 The introduction of solid-state flight recorders in the late
1980s marked the most significant advance in evolution of flight
recorder technology. Solid-state recorders are considered much
more reliable than their magnetic-tape counterparts. The use of
solid-state memory devices in flight recorders has expanded
recording capacity, enhanced crash/fire survivability, and
improved recorder reliability. It is now possible to have 2-hour
audio CVRs and DFDRs that can record up to 256 12-bit data
words per second, or 4 times the capacity of magnetic tape
DFDRs.

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 memory boards have enough digital storage
space to accommodate two hours of audio data for CVRs and
25 hours of flight data for FDRs.

Airplanes are equipped with sensors that gather data

such as acceleration, airspeed, altitude, flap settings, outside
temperature, engine performance, and cabin temperature and
pressure.
 Whether the system is an older version or fully modern, 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.

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.
The Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) :

Usually located in the tail of a plane, the CVR creates a

record of the total audio environment in the cockpit area. This
includes crew conversation, radio transmissions, aural alarms,
switch activations, engine noise, airflow noise and many.

Older CVRs retain the last 30 minutes of an aircrafts

flight. A modern CVR retains the last 2 hours of information. The
newest data records over the oldest data (endless-loop principle).

Around 80 per cent of aircraft accidents involve human

factors, which means that crew performance may have
contributed to the events. As a result, the CVR often provides
accident investigators with invaluable insights into why an
accident occurred.
The Flight Data Recorder (FDR) :

The flight data recorder (FDR) is designed to record the

operating data from the plane's systems. There are sensors wired from
various areas on the plane to the flight-data acquisition unit, which is wired
to the FDR. So whenever the pilot flips a switch or twiddles a knob, the
FDR records each action.

The FDR records flight parameters. The data recorded varies

widely, depending upon the age, size of the aircraft. The minimum
requirement, however, is to record parameters like:
pressure altitude
indicated airspeed
normal acceleration
microphone keying
The present day modern jet aircrafts are fitted with FDRs that can
record thousands of parameters covering all aspects of the aircraft
operation. Solid-state FDRs can store up to 25 hours of flight data.
BUILT TO SURVIVE :

Airplane crashes are violent affairs. In many such

accidents, the only devices that survive are the crash-survivable
memory units i.e. the CSMUs. 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, jarring
crashes and tons of pressure.
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.

In order to test the unit, engineers load sample data onto the
memory boards inside the CSMU. This pattern is reviewed on
readout to determine if any of the data has been damaged by crash
impact, fires or pressure.
 Several tests that make up the crash-survival
sequence are as follows:

a) Crash impact
b) Pin drop
c) Static crush
d) Fire test
e) Deep-sea submersion
f) Salt-water submersion
g) Fluid immersion
AFTER A CRASH:

The distinct bright orange color, along with the strips of

reflective tape attached to the recorders' exteriors, help investigators
locate the black boxes following an accident.

In addition to the paint and reflective tape, black boxes are

equipped with an underwater locator beacon (ULB).

If a plane crashes into the water, the 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, the beacon is activated.
 The beacon sends out pulses at 37.5 kilohertz (kHz) and
can transmit sound as deep as 14,000 feet (4,267 meters). 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.
 ADVANTAGES

To trace the reason behind the plane crash.

Improved air security.
Not easily damaged.
Easy installation.
Less space requirement for installation.
Mistakes or errors can be avoided in other
aircrafts.
FUTURE OF BLACK BOX:
Black boxes aren't just for planes. They're now integrated
into many types of vehicles. You may even have one in your car,
though you don't know about it. About 90 percent of new cars have
event data recorders (EDRs) that track the same kind of data as
airplane black boxes. The EDR is ostensibly designed to maintain
and monitor the car's safety system, but accident investigators can
and do use EDR data to better understand wrecks and sometimes, to
assign blame after an accident.