What Is a Black Box?

When we hear “black box,” many people think of airplanes. But what exactly is it? A black box is not actually black, it’s usually bright orange to make it easy to find after an accident. A black box is a flight recorder, a device fitted in aircraft to record crucial flight data and cockpit voices. It helps investigators understand what happened if there’s an accident. Purpose of a Black Box The black box is like an eyewitness that never forgets. It stores important information that helps: Reconstruct Events: After a crash, experts can replay what happened second by second. Find Causes: It tells investigators if the problem was technical, human error, or weather-related. Improve Safety: Lessons learned from black box data help build safer planes and better pilot training. How does Black Box Survives Crashes It can survive fires up to 1,100°C (2,000°F) for about 30 minutes. It can handle massive impact forces, equivalent to being hit by a concrete wall at high speed. ...