Flight recorder Facts for Kids

This is a cockpit voice recorder, one type of flight recorder.

A flight recorder is a special device found in airplanes. It helps experts figure out what happened if a plane has an accident. These recorders are super strong. They are built to survive extreme crashes and very hot fires. This is because plane crashes often involve big impacts and intense heat.

Flight recorders are often called "black boxes." But they are usually bright orange or yellow! This makes them easier to find after a crash. They are designed to withstand incredible forces. They can handle impacts of 3,600 times the force of gravity (called g). They can also survive temperatures over 1,000 degrees Celsius.

The first combined flight recorder was invented by an Australian scientist named David Warren.

Types of Flight Recorders
- Flight Data Recorder (FDR)
- Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR)
Why are Flight Recorders Important?
Other Uses of Recorders
- Recorders in Trains
- Recorders in Cars
Images for kids
See also

Types of Flight Recorders

There are two main types of flight recorders. Sometimes, these two types are put together into one unit.

Flight Data Recorder (FDR)

The Flight Data Recorder (FDR) records information about how the airplane is flying. It collects many different details. This includes the plane's speed, height, direction, and how the engines are working. It also records the position of the flight controls. This data helps investigators see exactly what the plane was doing before an incident.

Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR)

The Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) records sounds and conversations inside the cockpit. It picks up voices from the pilots and other crew members. It also records sounds from the plane's systems. This could be warnings, engine noises, or even sounds of switches being moved. The CVR helps experts understand what the crew was saying and doing. It also helps them hear any unusual sounds.

Why are Flight Recorders Important?

Flight recorders are very important for safety. When an accident happens, investigators use the data and sounds from these recorders. This helps them understand the cause of the crash. By learning what went wrong, they can make changes to planes or flying rules. This helps prevent similar accidents from happening again in the future.

Other Uses of Recorders

While flight recorders are mainly for airplanes, similar recording devices are used in other vehicles too.

Recorders in Trains

Trains can have recorders that track their speed and other operational data. If a train crash happens, these recorders help investigators. They can learn what led to the accident. This information can then be used to make trains safer.

Recorders in Cars

Some cars also have event data recorders. These can record things like vehicle speed or how sharply turns were made. This data can be useful in understanding car accidents.

Images for kids

A modern flight data recorder. The small cylinder on the right is an underwater locator beacon.
A Cold War-era Soviet MS-61 cockpit voice recorder from a MiG-21 interceptor.
A Fairchild A100 cockpit voice recorder on display. This is an older model that used magnetic tape.
NTSB investigators recovering flight data and cockpit voice recorders from UPS Airlines Flight 1354.
NTSB staff examining the memory boards of a cockpit voice recorder from Atlas Air Flight 3591.
GEE airborne equipment, with the R1355 receiver on the left and the Indicator Unit Type 62A "black box" on the right.
A typical flight recorder.
Cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder, each with an underwater locator beacon on the front.
An underwater locator beacon. A ballpoint pen is shown for scale.
A cockpit voice and data recorder (CVDR), with its attached ULB visible on the left side.
A flight data recorder and a cockpit voice recorder installed in an aircraft's rear fuselage.
The flight data recorder for crashed flight MU5735.
Cockpit voice recorder memory module of PR-GTD, a Gol Transportes Aéreos Boeing 737-8EH SFP, found in the Amazon in Mato Grosso, Brazil.
After the crash of Gol Transportes Aéreos Flight 1907, Brazilian Air Force personnel show the recovered flight data recorder.
The digital flight data recorder from West Air Sweden Flight 294. All data was collected.