Airplane Black Boxes .

                                                                            Airplane Black Boxes

 

 

 

Diagram of Data Flow to Aircraft Black Boxes

 

In the past decade, the discipline of Human Factors has become instrumental in determining the causes of Aircrafts Accidents. So, however, the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 has absorbed the imagination what’s going on here? Unanswered questions such as why the communication system was disabled, and why the aircraft apparently executed a turn to the left before it disappeared have deepened the mystery, no distress call has reported. But this is not the first time a plane has gone missing, in my personal and objective opinion the box records cockpit communications is a key here to find all the evidence to solve this accident.

 

 

The history of aircraft recording devices is somewhat stony, interestingly enough; the first flight data recorder was installed by the Wright Brothers on their original airplane in 1903. The installed a device that recorded engine RPM, time and distance traveled. From then on, not much was heard about recorders until we entered the Jet era.

So, as Aircraft System and Cockpits became more sophisticated, aircraft accident investigation became harder, but there was less evidence remaining after the crash. So, meanwhile, aircraft accidents were becoming more expensive and less acceptable, a solution designed solely to help the investigator was the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR).

Let’s review a brief history of Black Boxes: It can resist temperatures up to 2,000°F and impact forces of 3400 Gs /6.5ms, the secrets of airplane crashes, including what went wrong and why. So the color it's not black at all it’s actually orange. Popularly referred to as a "black box" by the media when a fatal crash is reported.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Specification:

Time recorded .......................... 30 min continuous, 2 hours for solid state digital units

Number of channels ................. 4

Impact tolerance ...................... 3400 Gs /6.5ms

Fire resistance .......................... 1100 deg C /30 min

Water pressure resistance ........ submerged 20,000 ft

Underwater locator beacon ...... 37.5 KHz

Battery: 6yr shelf life

30 day operation

 

Who Invented The Black Box?

The Black Box was invented by an Australian scientist named Dr. David Warren. Though Warren was working at the Aeronautical Research Laboratory in Melbourne in the mid-1950s he was involved in the accident investigation surrounding the mysterious crash of the world’s first jet-powered commercial aircraft, the Comet. Understanding that it would have been useful for investigators if there had been a recording of what had happened on the plane just before the crash, he got to work on a basic flight data recorder. The first demo unit was produced in 1957, but it was not until 1960, after an unexplained plane crash in Queensland, that Australia became the first country in the world to make the Black Box mandatory for all commercial aircraft.

The data recorded by the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) is used for accident investigation, as well as for analyzing air safety questions, material degradation and engine performance, also another kind of flight recorder is the cockpit voice recorder (CVR), which records conversation in the cockpit, radio communications between the pilots including conversation with air traffic control staffs.

As technology continues to develop it is likely that Black Boxes, or flight data recorders, will become more and more sophisticated and more reliable, giving to Aviation Accident Investigators more to go on when thoroughly trying to piece together what caused a plane crash.

This part will be essential to resolve was what happened with the Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, hopefully soon the investigators can find this device to resolve this mystery never ever seen in commercial aviation.

 

Midair Collision Avoidance / Your Role in Collision Avoidance

Midair Collision Avoidance

YOUR ROLE IN COLLISION AVOIDANCE

 

Recent studies of midair collisions involving aircraft by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined that:

Most of the aircraft involved in collisions are engaged in recreational flying, not on any type of flight plan.

ü  Most midair collisions occur in VFR weather conditions during weekend daylight hours.

ü  The vast majority of accidents occurred at or near uncontrolled airports and at altitudes below 1000 feet.

ü  Pilots of all experience levels were involved in midair collisions, from pilots on their first solo ride, to   20,000-hour veterans.

ü  Flight instructors were on board the aircraft 37 percent of the accidents in the study.

ü  Most collisions occur in daylight with visibility greater than 3 miles.

Here's how you can contribute to professional flying and reduce the odds of becoming involved in a midair collision.

1.  Practice the "see and avoid" concept at all times regardless of whether the operation is conducted under Instrument (IFR) or Visual (VFR) Flight Rules.

2.  Under IFR control, don't always count on ATC to keep you away from other aircraft.  They're human, and can make mistakes.

3.  Understand the limitations of your eyes and use proper visual scanning techniques.  Remember, if another aircraft appears to have no relative motion, but is increasing in size, it is likely to be on a collision course with you.

4.  Execute appropriate clearing procedures before all climbs, descents, turns, training maneuvers, or aerobatics.

5.  Be aware of the type airspace in which you intend to operate in and comply with the applicable rules.

6.  Adhere to the necessary communications requirements.

7. Traffic advisories should be requested and used when available to assist the pilot’s own visual scanning -- advisories in no way lessen the pilot’s obligation to see and avoid.

 8.  If not practical to initiate radio contact for traffic information, at least monitor the appropriate frequency.

 9.  Make frequent position reports along your route and AT UNCONTROLLED AIRPORTS BROADCAST YOUR POSITION AND INTENTIONS ON COMMON TRAFFIC ADVISORY FREQUENCY (CTAF).

 10.  Make your aircraft as visible as possible - turn on exterior lights below 10,000 MSL and landing lights when operating within 10 miles of any airport, in conditions of reduced visibility, where any bird activity is expected or under special VFR clearance.

11.  If the aircraft is equipped with a transponder, turn it on and adjust it to reply on both Mode 3/A and Mode C (if installed).  Transponders substantially increase the capability of radar to see all aircraft and the MODE C feature enables the controller to quickly determine where potential traffic conflicts exist.  Even VFR pilots who are not in contact with ATC will be afforded greater protection from IFR aircraft receiving traffic advisories.

IN ACCORDANCE WITH FAR PART 91.413, WHILE IN CONTROLLED AIRSPACE, EACH PILOT OPERATING AN AIRCRAFT EQUIPPED WITH AN OPERABLE ATC TRANSPONDER MAINTAINED SHALL OPERATE THE TRANSPONDER, INCLUDING MODE C IF INSTALLED, ON THE APPROPRIATE MODE OR AS ASSIGNED BY ATC.  IN CLASS G AIRSPACE, THE TRANSPONDER SHOULD BE OPERATING WHILE AIRBORNE UNLESS OTHERWISE REQUESTED BY ATC.

 12.      ABOVE ALL, AVOID COMPLACENCY

Promoting Aviation Safety is the key .