WHAT IS A BLACK BOX ?
Usually painted bright orange to help easy retrieval, a black box is a combination of two devices mounted at the rear of an aircraft not the cockpit, since that is the area normally least affected during air crashes, experts explain.
It is called black box because of the tragic circumstances in which the system is generally retrieved and has nothing to do with the colour of its outer casing.
In aviation parlance, it is actually a loose term used for two crucial pieces of equipment — the digital cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder — that give crucial inputs to investigators on the causes of air mishaps.
One device digitally records all conversations inside the cockpit and those with the air traffic controllers, among its other uses, and gives vital clues to the cause of any air disaster.
The other has the history of the aircraft’s flight details, such as acceleration, engine thrust, airspeed, altitude, rudder position, which are also vital for crash probes.
A sturdy system the size of a shoebox, it has a reflective tape on its exterior and can withstand extreme temperatures. It has a solid steel encasing and heat-resistant material to withstand heavy impact and razing fire.
