14 things you never knew about airplane black boxes, one of the most important things on your flight

Airplane black boxes play a key role in helping the aviation industry figure out why plane crashes occur.Black boxes have helped the FAA improve aviation safety standards since the 1950s.They contain vital information that can reveal why a plane may have crashed.Every time a tragic aviation accident occurs, you're likely to hear the news mention something about the hunt for the plane's black boxes. These units are said to contain vital information that can reveal why a particular airplane might have crashed. Since the 1950s, the data inside black boxes has helped accident investigators, airline manufacturers, and aviation professionals improve flight safety for everyone. They are a significant contribution to airline safety, but have you ever wondered how they actually work'INSIDER found out some interesting facts about black boxes and how they record plane data."Black boxes" aren't black at all.They're actually painted a loud, vibrant color called International Orangea shade which is most often associated with San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, or the colorful highlighters you used as a student. The purpose behind this is to make them highly visible in the event of an accident, since there can be a lot of debris.Aviation industry professionals don't actually call them black boxes.As previously noted, the name "black boxes" is actually a misnomer, and it turns out, most people aren't completely sure why the term is still used. Some sources say it's because of its mysterious properties.Others say the name the name comes from the color of the box when its found after a crash, as it's typically covered in ashes. Whatever its origins may be, you likely won't hear a professional referring to them by that name. Instead, they call them by their technical terms: Flight data recorders and cockpit voice recorders, or FDRs and CVRs.They're actually made of two components: the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder.Technically there isn't one single "black box" on each plane. Instead, there are two partsthe flight data recorder (FDR), and the cockpit voice recorder (CVR). During a flight, the FDR tracks information about the plane itself, like its direction and speed, while the CVR records audio of the crew's conversations, radio transmissions, engine sounds, and alarm noises.Sometimes they can be combined together in one unit, but they are often two separate devices. They're also quite expensive to make. The standard flight data and cockpit voice recorder system can cost anywhere from $10,000 to $15,000 to produce.See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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