With the plane crash that claimed the life of Ajit Pawar, the black box controversy has been brought into the limelight once again. To see what causes of an accident and how they work, let us understand what instruments are installed in an aircraft.
The aircraft of NCP leader and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar crashed this morning during landing at Baramati leading to his death. The black box has become an issue of conversation again after this tragic accident because it is the most critical gadget that uncovers causes of any aircraft accident. All the movements of the aircraft are registered in it, this is why it is discussed as the most important to find it out after the accident.
A flight recorder is actually the black box. It has the capability to save all the data regarding the aircraft and the flight. It is also designed to withstand explosions, collision, fire, intense heat and water such that even when a crash occurs, vital data is still intact. This data is very significant in determining the causes of accidents and to avoid such accidents in future. Thus, the black box is an important instrument in aircraft accident investigations.
French engineer Francois Hussenot invented the black box in the 1930s. He came up with machines that photographed ten aircraft parameters on film. Ever since, the technology of black box has been evolving ever since.
Why is it called a “black box”?
Because it was initially stored in a container which was light-proof, it is referred to as a black box. Its real color, however, was always orange, which means that it can be easily traced following an accident. In modern black boxes, the chip with the memory is used and there are no moving parts, so there is less chance it can break in case of a crash.
How does a black box work?
A black box has two major components. One is that of Flight Data Recorder (FDR), which constantly captures technical information on the flight (altitude, speed and engine status). The second is the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) which captures cockpit engine sounds and dialogues.
Beside the black box, there is a different device employed in airplanes, and it is known as a DVR. Its use is to capture footage of CCTVs of different cameras fitted in the aircraft such as cockpit and cabin. This gives further details to investigations.
What is the secret of the black box to extreme accidents?
The black box should be such that it is safe even in severe conditions. It undergoes a coating of heavy layers of hard-compounded materials such as titanium or stainless steel, which allows its weight to withstand up to 3,400 times the force of gravity. It is capable of withstanding 1,100degC within an hour and can serve as long as 30 days in water and depths of 6,000 meters. It also has locator beacons which send signals when it is underwater so that the search teams can locate it.
