how Cockpit voice recorder helped in general aviation accidenet

Running Head: COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER OUTLINE

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Cockpit Voice Recorder

Walid Saeed M Alghamdi

Florida Institute of Technology

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Cockpit Voice Recorder

Abstract

The cockpit voice recorder or the black box has helped manage accidents because they do record

all the information in the cockpit. The cockpit might produce sounds that are significant, and it is

easier to track the origin and its potential impact upon listening to the recordings. In addition, it

is easier to monitor the conversations of the pilots in the cockpit which is vital in tracking their

reactions and conversations just before an accident on potential reasons. The fact that the cockpit

voice recorder (CVR) is made from basically indestructible materials helps maintain the

credibility of information despite an accident which is beneficial for managing future accidents

in Aviation.

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Introduction

In the United States since 1967 all airplanes should have a cockpit voice recorder as a

way of helping make sure that there is evidence left behind after an accident. Europe also

emulated the same and it is established that the cockpit voice recorder is essential for the

airplanes because it helps store information in the cockpit and thus it is easier to understand the

potential causes of the accidents and how to work on avoiding them in the future. The CVR are a

major positive innovation in the aircraft, and they do contain materials that protect the machine

up to even 1000˚C and 3400 g which makes it almost indestructible. The fact that the recorder is

within the plane makes it an important device in managing the future accidents since there are

vulnerabilities in machines since they are all human creations and thus it is important to try and

find the problems and work on finding even better solutions. It is evident that the CVR are less

effective in some cases such as when the planes crash in water end up with no trace and water

might have blocked the trace or even having extensive battery life to protect the CVR and keep

sending signals for a longer duration. The CVR has helped in managing aviation accidents since

it is easier to trace planes activities, keep up with the pilot’s behaviors in the cockpit and find

conclusive information on eventual causes of the plane crushes to help avoid future accidents.

Background

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The research focuses on trying to establish the impacts of the cockpit voice recorder in

the conquest to try and find solutions towards the plane crushes. Aviation accidents are fatal and

because of the huge numbers of passengers on board, the plane need to be safe. The research is

investigating the better ways that will see the proper measures of how to utilize the CVR and

how to make them better especially because they already exist. It is important to make sure that

there is a correct path towards solving the crisis that is discouraging numerous people from

taking flights especially over long distances. The research seeks to establish how having the

recording of the activities in the cockpit is essential for the general safety of the aircraft which

makes it a major concern. It is important to explain the reasons for it to be in the cockpit and

whether the reliance of information in real time will help make a difference or only information

upon an accident is a major impact on the future of safety in planes.

Discussion/ Analysis

SWOT analysis

Strengths

The CVR can withstand several measures that are prone for aviation which helps in

conservation of information. It is important to make sure that the CVR is supposed to store

information that can then be retrieved and analyzed to help gauge the information which is vital

to make sure that they improve their efficiency. The CVR can withstand up to 1,000˚C and a

high gravitational force of over 3400 g which is high, and this is a major advantage because it

implies that there is information safety despite the type of the accident affecting the planes

(Siegel, 2014). The CVR is also located in the position within the plane that comprises of traffic

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of information reliance and this helps in making sure that they will capture a variety of

interactions and come up with the right conclusion that led to a potential accident.

Weaknesses

The fact that the CVR does not relay live information to the control towers is a major

problem because it stores information that can only be retrieved after an accident. The machine

fails to save lives especially when a problem was minor, and the control tower could have

managed to direct the pilots or control remotely (Alpert, 2018). The concept is a weakness

because the machines efficiency should transform to become timely instead of an aftermath

solution. It is also evident that the CVR does not have a long-term battery and its signal depends

on the battery life. The recorder might shutdown especially when a plane crushes in a remote

area or in the ocean where respondents will take time to get to the scene and thus fail to achieve

its set out goal to provide information or even trace the actual scene of accident.

Opportunities

The main opportunity is to try and make sure that the CVR technology also fits and

changes with the changing technology in the world. It is important to understand that it has been

efficient, but it is time that they do change its practicality since there are still numerous crashes

happening each year. The analysis of the information should happen in real time and feedback

send back in time to help avoid escalation of some major problems. According to Siegel (2014),

it is a major opportunity for technology companies to come up with better appliance and

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technology to replace the CVR to shift from the traditional functions to a more digital application

that fits the current needs of a plane which reduces the number of accidents and plane crashes.

Threats

The main threats for the CVR are the fact that they are becoming obsolete since their

purpose and functionality in the airplanes is becoming less applicable and efficient each day. The

machines have been doing the same over half a century, but the results are still having a minimal

impact on aircraft safety. The conveyance of information in real time through changing

technology is a major threat to the CVR because the plane despite their distance from their tower

controls, they can easily remain in contact and monitor their planes integrity to make sure that

safety is paramount. The fact that there is a problem in battery life is a major threat for the

technology since they are proving to have issues in their efficiencies.

The changing technology is influencing the relevance and functionality of the CVR inside

the plane which is a major problem. It is important to try and understand that the technology is

changing at an alarming rate and thus the CVR lacking concept such as relaying information live

to the office in the control towers is a major problem (Oster, Strong & Zorn, 2016). It is

important to try and understand that there are new technologies such as even video recordings

and machines with better battery life that are replacing the CVR because they are more efficient.

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It is easier to use information conveyed at a real time from a plane in distress instead of finding

information later.

Conclusions

The CVR technology is applicable and efficient in helping to improve on aviation safety

and changing how the entire aviation did view the efficiency. The concepts do store information

despite the type of accident that planes incur and help in coming up with conclusions of what

happened in the last minutes of a plane and the conversations that pilots had in the cockpit. The

move was a breakthrough to help in understanding of the potential causes, reactions of the pilots

before and during a crash of the planes and thus help in improving on the issues and making sure

that there are no repeat of similar mistakes in future.

Recommendations

The adoption of new technology to help in boosting the safety of the airplanes will be a

major advantage towards reducing the cases of plane crushes. The technology can come up with

CVR systems that can also relay information in real time to help provide ample time for reaction

and helping pilots in distress and help save innocent lives. There are instances where planes tend

to lose communication contact with the control stations thus it is important for technology to

introduce systems to accommodate such limitations to come up with a conclusive system. In

addition, introduction of batteries with longer life will help improve their performance which is

vital to help maintain a signal in case it takes time before response teams get to the scene of

accident.

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References

Alpert, M. (2018). A Better Black Box. Scientific American, 283(3), 96-97.

Oster, C., Strong, J., & Zorn, C. (2016). Improving Air Safety: Long-Term Challenges. Issues

in Science and Technology, 17(2), 77-83.

Siegel, G. (2014). Black Boxes. In Forensic Media: Reconstructing Accidents in Accelerated

Modernity (pp. 89-142). Durham; London: Duke University Press.

doi:10.2307/j.ctv123x6w1.7

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