BackScience behind the black box
Here's a look into the working of the electronic recording device that facilitates the investigation of aviation accidents and incidents
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There were 111 aircraft accidents in 2014, the lowest in at least eight decades, according to the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives. However, the year also saw the most deaths in aircraft accidents in almost 10 years—1,320.
In March, Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 mysteriously disappeared while flying over the South China Sea. In late December, Air Asia Flight QZ8501 crashed into the sea killing everyone on board, most likely due to bad weather.
Every time there is an accident, talk eventually moves to the so-called black box carried by every plane. The black box records all key flight information, and can provide leads on what caused the accident.
For instance, almost two years after it went missing over the Atlantic Ocean carrying 228 passengers, Air France Flight 447’s black box was located using unmanned submarines in May 2011. Investigators found out the reasons for its crash—thunderstorms, speed systems icing over and the autopilot disengaging, confusing the pilots who lost control.
Even with the recovery of the black box, it can take investigators months to piece together data and find out the cause of the accident. Without it, most flight mishaps will forever remain a mystery.
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