Aircraft flight data recorders store vital information on airplanes so experts can decipher what caused a crash. They record data on the plane, information from pilots directly from the cockpit, flight voice records and the air traffic control call recording. An aviation flight recorder is a vital piece of equipment on airlines.

Specialists will review many pieces of information after an airline crashes, and different types of aircraft flight recorders can provide this vital information. This information will help the investigation so specialists can improve aircraft construction and prevent these tragic crashes from happening again. There are three main types of recorders you should equip your aircraft with.

1. Flight data recorders are the main recorders you want on your plane.

2. A cockpit recorder is an important recorder to have.

3. An aerospace voice recording device is an additional recorder you'll want on your plane.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Equip your planes with aircraft flight recorders

One of the basic pieces of equipment you will need on all of your aircraft is an aircraft flight data recorder. The recorder will keep track of 25 hours of flight information, and it records different flight parameters, depending on the size of the aircraft.

I recommend: Pacific Avionics & Instruments provides a standard two-crew version and a heavy aircraft version flight data recorder. Physical Optics offers the FAERITO Data Centric Flight Recorder. The FAERITO provides crash memory, non-crash memory and removable flash memory options, providing four hours of digital video/audio/data recording.

Equip your planes with a cockpit recorder

Along with information from the flight itself, information from the pilots is necessary after a plane crash. Cockpit recorders record all of the information exchanged in the cockpit so experts can hear exactly what is going on from the pilot's point of view.

I recommend: Aviation Recorders produces the Cockpit Voice and Data Recorder, a reliable combination cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder. Specialist Electronics Services offers the Solid State Data Recorder-Cockpit Voice Recorder (S3DR-CVR). The S3DR-CVR gives a high performance, but is low in cost. It records data from flight systems onto a removable memory device.

Equip your planes with an aerospace voice recording device

Aerospace voice recording devices are used in aircraft that travel around the world to gather data throughout the entire flight. Many of them can play back up to two hours of flight time recordings.

I recommend: Accurate Always provides industrial-grade secure servers that record, monitor and replay important data in real-time. Honeywell Aerospace Solid State Cockpit Voice Recorder has a crash survival memory unit that retains 30 minutes to two hours of audio, video and timing information.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  An aircraft flight data recorder website can help you determine what recorders you need on your aircraft.