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The tragic crash of an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick on June 12, 2025, has spotlighted the critical role of black boxes—a key component in aviation safety and accident investigations. Despite their name, these devices are painted bright orange for easy visibility at crash sites.

What are Black Boxes?

Modern aircraft are equipped with two essential flight recorders:

• Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR): Captures pilot and co-pilot conversations, ambient cockpit sounds, alarms, and radio transmissions.
• Flight Data Recorder (FDR): Records up to 25 hours of technical flight data including altitude, speed, engine parameters, flight path, and over 3,500 variables.

These devices operate continuously without interruption, storing vital information that can reconstruct the events leading up to an air crash.

Design and Durability

Black boxes are built to withstand extreme conditions:

• Casing: Made from crash-resistant materials like titanium or steel.
• Survivability: Can endure temperatures up to 1,100°C, high-impact G-forces, and remain underwater for up to 30 days.
• Locator Beacon: Emit signals to help recovery teams locate them, especially in underwater crashes.

Why Are They Called 'Black' Boxes?

The term “black box” originated from early film-based recorders stored in light-tight boxes. However, modern units are painted bright orange with reflective strips to aid visual detection after accidents.

Evolution of Flight Recorders

• 1930s: François Hussenot in France developed early photographic film-based recorders.
• 1953-54: Dr. David Warren in Australia invented the modern FDR while investigating unexplained crashes of the de Havilland Comet.
• 1960: Mandatory installation of CVRs and FDRs in commercial aircraft.
• 1965: Regulators required recorders to be painted in visible colours.
• 1990: Solid-state memory replaced magnetic tapes, increasing durability and storage capacity.

India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, oversees accident probes. In April 2025, it established a dedicated flight recorder laboratory in New Delhi to improve investigation efficiency.

Technological Advancements

• Combined Recorders: Modern systems often integrate CVR and FDR in a single unit to meet ICAO norms for extended recording.
• Deployable Recorders: Automatically ejected during a crash, float on water, and transmit their location using an Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT).
• Satellite-Based Data Streaming: Future technologies aim to stream flight data in real time, minimizing data loss during oceanic crashes.

Black boxes serve as the backbone of aviation accident investigations by providing critical insight into aircraft performance and crew actions before a crash. Their development reflects ongoing efforts to enhance air travel safety and accountability. The Ahmedabad crash investigation led by the AAIB will heavily rely on these devices to determine the exact sequence of events and prevent future tragedies.