BLACK BOX

CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION
2. RECORDING AND STORAGE TECHNIQUE
A. MAGNETIC TAPE
B. SOLID STATE TECHNOLOGY
3. COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER
4. FLIGHT DATA RECORDER
5. CONSTRUCTION
6. TESTING OF CSMU
7. AFTER CRASH
8. RETRIEVING INFORMATION
9. APPLICATION
10. REFERENCE

MKITW,ECE,Rajampet

Page 0

BLACK BOX

BLACK BOX
ABSTRACT:
As the technology progressing, the speed of traveling is also increased. The source to
destination became so closer to each others. The main advancement in the field of the air
traveling system with the help of airplane. This is the major discovery of technology. But as the
speed increases , the horror of air crash also introduced. Because at a height of 2000m and
above if a plane crashes ,it will be a terror for any body. So to take the feed back of the various
activities happens in the plane and record them engineers need a mechanism to record such
activities .
With any airplane crash, there are many unanswered questions as to what brought the
plane down. Investigators turn to the airplane's flight data recorder (FDR) and cockpit voice
recorder (CVR), also known as "black boxes," for answers. In Flight 261, the FDR contained
48 parameters of flight data, and the CVR recorded a little more than 30 minutes of
conversation and other audible cockpit noises.
Introduction of Black-Box
In almost every commercial aircraft, there are several microphones built into the cockpit to
track the conversations of the flight crew. These microphones are also designed to track
any ambient noise in the cockpit, such as switches being thrown or any knocks or thuds.
There may be up to four microphones in the plane's cockpit, each connected to the cockpit
voice recorder (CVR).

MKITW,ECE,Rajampet

Page 1

BLACK BOX

INTRODUCTION
If any airplane crash, there are many unanswered questions as to what brought the plane
down. Investigators turn to the airplane's flight data recorder (FDR) and cockpit voice recorder
(CVR), also known as "black boxes," for answers. In Flight 261, the FDR contained 48
parameters of flight data, and the CVR recorded a little more than 30 minutes of conversation
and other audible cockpit noises.
These recording devices, which cost between $10,000 an $15,000 each, reveal details of the
events immediately preceding the accident. In this article, we will look at the two types of
black boxes, how they survive crashes, and how they are retrieved and analyzed.

MKITW,ECE,Rajampet

Page 2

BLACK BOX

RECORDING AND STORAGE

Although many of the black boxes in use today use magnetic tape, which was first
introduced in the 1960s, airlines are moving to solid-state memory boards, which came along
in the 1990s. Magnetic tape works like any tape recorder. The Mylar tape is pulled across an
electromagnetic head, which leaves a bit of data on the tape.
Black-box manufacturers are no longer making magnetic tape recorders as airlines
begin a full transition to solid-state technology.

THE MAGNETIC TAPE INSIDE THE FLIGHT DATA RECORDER

SOLID-STATE TECHNOLOGY
Solid-state recorders are considered much more reliable than their magnetic-tape
counterparts, according to Ron Crotty, a spokesperson for Honeywell, a black-box
manufacturer. 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.

MKITW,ECE,Rajampet

Page 3

BLACK BOX

Data from both the CVR and FDR is stored on stacked memory boards inside the
crash-survivable memory unit (CSMU). The CSMU is a cylindrical compartment on the
recorder. The stacked memory boards are about 1.75 inches (4.45 cm) in diameter and 1 inch
(2.54 cm) tall.
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.

SOLID STATE RECORBER

Airplanes are equipped with sensors that gather data. There are sensors that detect
acceleration, airspeed, altitude, flap settings, outside temperature, cabin temperature and
pressure, engine performance and more. Magnetic-tape recorders can track about 100
parameters, while solid-state recorders can track more than 700 in larger aircraft.
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.

MKITW,ECE,Rajampet

Page 4

BLACK BOX

BASIC COMPONET AND OPERATION OF AN AVIATION RECORDING SYSTEM

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 115volt, 400-hertz (Hz) AC power source. These are standard aircraft power supplies, according to
Frank Doran, director of engineering for L-3 Communications Aviation Recorders.
COCKPIT VOICE RECORDERS
In almost every commercial aircraft, there are several microphones built into the
cockpit to track the conversations of the flight crew. These microphones are also designed to
track any ambient noise in the cockpit, such as switches being thrown or any knocks or thuds.
There may be up to four microphones in the plane's cockpit, each connected to the cockpit
voice recorder (CVR).
Any sounds in the cockpit are picked up by these microphones and sent to the CVR,
where the recordings are digitized and stored. There is also another device in the cockpit,
called the associated control unit, that provides pre-amplification for audio going to the CVR.
Here are the positions of the four microphones:

Pilot's headset

Co-pilot's headset

Headset of a third crew member (if there is a third crew member)

MKITW,ECE,Rajampet

Page 5

BLACK BOX

Near the center of the cockpit, where it can pick up audio alerts and other sounds
Most magnetic-tape CVRs store the last 30 minutes of sound. They use a continuous

loop of tape that completes a cycle every 30 minutes. As new material is recorded, the oldest
material is replaced. CVRs that used solid-state storage can record two hours of audio. Similar
to the magnetic-tape recorders, solid-state recorders also record over old material.
FLIGHT DATA RECORDERS
The flight data recorder (FDR) is designed to record the operating data from the plane's
systems. There are sensors that are wired from various areas on the plane to the flight-data
acquisition unit, which is wired to the FDR. When a switch is turned on or off, that operation is
recorded by the FDR.

DAMAGED FDR
Magnetic-tape recorders have the potential to record up to 100 parameters. Solid-state
FDRs can record more than 700 parameters.

MKITW,ECE,Rajampet

Page 6

BLACK BOX

PARAMETERS RECORDED BY FDRS:

Time

Pressure altitude

Airspeed

Vertical acceleration

Magnetic heading

Control-column position

Rudder-pedal position

Control-wheel position

Horizontal stabilizer

Fuel flow
Solid-state recorders can track more parameters than magnetic tape because they allow

for a faster data flow. Solid-state FDRs can store up to 25 hours of flight data. Each additional
parameter that is recorded by the FDR gives investigators one more clue about the cause of an
accident.
BUILT TO SURVIVE
In many airline accidents, the only devices that survive are the crash-survivable
memory units (CSMUs) of the flight data recorders and cockpit voice recorders. 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, violent crashes and tons of pressure. In older magnetic-tape recorders, the CSMU is
inside a rectangular box.

MKITW,ECE,Rajampet

Page 7

BLACK BOX

SOLID STATE RECORDER

Using three layers of materials, the CSMU in a solid-state black box insulates and
protects the stack of memory boards that store the digitized information. We will talk more
about the memory and electronics in the next section. Here's a closer look at the materials that
provide a barrier for the memory boards, starting at the innermost barrier and working our way
outward:

Aluminum housing - There is a thin layer of aluminum around the stack of memory
cards.

High-temperature insulation - This dry-silica material is 1 inch (2.54 cm) thick and
provides high-temperature thermal protection. This is what keeps the memory boards
safe during post-accident fires.

Stainless-steel shell- The high-temperature insulation material is contained within a

stainless-steel cast shell that is about 0.25 inches (0.64 cm) thick. Titanium can be used
to create this outer armor as well.

MKITW,ECE,Rajampet

Page 8

BLACK BOX

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.
There are several tests that make up the crash-survival sequence

Crash impact - . This impact force is equal to or in excess of what a recorder might
experience in an actual crash.

Pin drop - To test the unit's penetration resistance, researchers drop a 500-pound (227kg) weight with a 0.25-inch steel pin protruding from the bottom onto the CSMU from
a height of 10 feet (3 m). This pin, with 500-pounds behind it, impacts the CSMU
cylinder's most vulnerable axis.

Fire test - Researchers place the unit into a propane-source fireball, cooking it using
three burners. .

Deep-sea submersion - The CSMU is placed into a pressurized tank of salt water for
24 hours.

Salt-water submersion - The CSMU must survive in a salt water tank for 30 days.

Fluid immersion - Various CSMU components are placed into a variety of aviation
fluids, including jet fuel, lubricants and fire-extinguisher chemicals.
Black boxes are usually sold directly to and installed by the airplane manufacturers.

Both black boxes are installed in the tail of the plane -- putting them in the back of the aircraft
increases their chances of survival. The precise location of the recorders depends on the
individual plane. Sometimes they are located in the ceiling of the galley, in the aft cargo hold
or in the tail cone that covers the rear of the aircraft.
"Typically, the tail of the aircraft is the last portion of the aircraft to impact," Doran
said. "The whole front portion of the airplane provides a crush zone, which assists in the
deceleration of tail components, including the recorders, and enhances the likelihood that the
crash-protected memory of the recorder will survive.

MKITW,ECE,Rajampet

Page 9

BLACK BOX

UNDERWATER LOCATOR BEACON

In addition to the paint and reflective tape, black boxes are equipped with an
underwater locator beacon (ULB). If you look at the picture of a black box, you will almost
always see a small, cylindrical object attached to one end of the device. While it doubles as a
handle for carrying the black box, this cylinder is actually a beacon.

UNDERWATER LOCATOR BEACON

If a plane crashes into the water, this 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, it activates the beacon.
The beacon sends out pulses at 37.5 kilohertz (kHz) and can transmit sound as deep as
14,000 feet (4,267 m). 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.
RETRIEVING INFORMATION
After finding the black boxes, investigators take the recorders to a lab where they can
download the data from the recorders and attempt to recreate the events of the accident. This
process can take weeks or months to complete. In the United States, black-box manufacturers
MKITW,ECE,Rajampet

Page 10

BLACK BOX

supply the NTSB with the readout systems and software needed to do a full analysis of the
recorders' stored data.

THIS PORTABLE INTERFACE CAN ALLOW INVESTIGATORS QUICK ACCESS

TO THE DATA ON A BLACK BOX.
If the FDR is not damaged, investigators can simply play it back on the recorder by
connecting it to a readout system. With solid-state recorders, investigators can extract stored
data in a matter of minutes. Very often, recorders retrieved from wreckage are dented or
burned. In these cases, the memory boards are removed, cleaned up and a new memory
interface cable is installed. Then the memory board is connected to a working recorder. This
recorder has special software to facilitate the retrieval of data without the possibility of
overwriting any of it.
Both the FDR and CVR are invaluable tools for any aircraft investigation. These are
often the lone survivors of airplane accidents, and as such provide important clues to the cause
that would be impossible to obtain any other way. As technology evolves, black boxes will
continue to play a tremendous role in accident investigations.

MKITW,ECE,Rajampet

Page 11

BLACK BOX

OTHER USES FOR BLACK BOX TECHNOLOGY

Currently, black boxes aren't just taking flight -- they're being grounded as well. Several
automobile manufacturers are utilizing black box technology in their automobiles and a few
have been doing so for quite some time. According to an article titled "Black boxes in GM cars
increasingly help police after accidents" General Motors has been using black box technology
for over a decade.
So, black box technology has moved from airplanes to automobiles -- where is it
headed next? It could be on you. Right now it's just a prototype, but soon the SenseCam could
provide you with an incredible amount of information about -- well, you!

Advantages and Disadvantages of Black Box Testing

Advantages of black box testing:

Black box tests are reproducible.

The environment the program is running is also tested.
The invested effort can be used multiple times.

Disadvantages of black box testing:

The results are often overestimated.

Not all properties of a software product can be tested .
The reason for a failure is not found.

CONCLUSION
So, black box technology has moved from airplanes to automobiles -- where is it
headed next?
There are improvements on the horizon for black box technology. Reportedly, some form of
cockpit video recorder will be developed. Such a recorder would be able to store video images
in solid-state memory.

MKITW,ECE,Rajampet

Page 12