US proposes update to flight recorder requirements

Airline Industry Information, Feb 28, 2005

AIRLINE INDUSTRY INFORMATION-(C)1997-2005 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

The US government has proposed to increase the length of time that conversations in airline cockpits can be recorded.

The new rules presented by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) would require cockpit voice recorders, which record pilots' conversations, to retain at least two hours of audio and have a 10-minute backup power source. Currently they are required to record 15 to 30 minutes of sound and do not have to have backup power.

At the same time, the FAA rejected the National Transportation Safety Board's recommendation that aircraft be required to have video cameras.

Flight data recorders, which record the movement of cockpit controls, would have to sample data more often and retain 25 hours of information under the proposal.

The Air Line Pilots Association said in a statement that it welcomed the changes but wanted the FAA to set stronger standards for protecting flight data.

The changes would cost the industry about USD256m, the FAA estimated.

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