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65-556: The term logbook originated with the ship's log , a maritime record of important events in the management, operation, and navigation of a ship. The captain was responsible for keeping a log, as a minimum, of navigational wind, speed, direction and position. Logbooks come in many varieties, but they are sometimes standardized in form and/or content within certain organizations or industries. In some applications like flight training or trucking hours of service , they contain specific information used to satisfy legal requirements. Prior to

130-401: A misnomer —they are now required to be painted bright orange , to aid in their recovery after accidents. There are two types of flight recording devices: the flight data recorder ( FDR ) preserves the recent history of the flight through the recording of dozens of parameters collected several times per second; the cockpit voice recorder ( CVR ) preserves the recent history of the sounds in

195-400: A "rough log", – or "scrap log" – a preliminary draft of the ship's course, speed, location, and other data, which is then transcribed as the "smooth log", – or "official log" – the final version of the ship's record. Changes may be made to the rough log but the smooth log is considered permanent and no erasures are permitted. Alterations or corrections in an official logbook must be initialled by

260-403: A 2023 All Operators Letter reinforcing that practice is forbidden. The NTSB recommended in 1999 that operators be required to install two sets of CVDR systems, with the second CVDR designed to be ejected from the aircraft prior to impact with the ground or water. Ejection would be initiated by computer based on sensor information indicating an accident is imminent. A deployable recorder combines

325-429: A book for recording readings from the chip log that was used to estimate a ship's speed through the water. Today's ship's log has grown to contain many other types of information, and is a record of operational data relating to a ship or submarine , such as weather conditions, times of routine events and significant incidents, crew complement or what ports were docked at and when. The term logbook has spread to

390-436: A depth of up to 6,000 meters (20,000 ft). A cockpit voice recorder (CVR) is a flight recorder used to record the audio environment in the flight deck of an aircraft for the purpose of investigation of accidents and incidents. This is typically achieved by recording the signals of the microphones and earphones of the pilots' headsets and of an area microphone in the roof of the cockpit. The current applicable FAA TSO

455-471: A device that would record not only the instrument readings, but also the voices in the cockpit. In 1954 he published a report entitled "A Device for Assisting Investigation into Aircraft Accidents". Warren built a prototype FDR called "The ARL Flight Memory Unit" in 1956, and in 1958 he built the first combined FDR/CVR prototype. It was designed with civilian aircraft in mind, explicitly for post-crash examination purposes. Aviation authorities from around

520-444: A much higher frequency if the data begin to change quickly. Most FDRs record approximately 17–25 hours of data in a continuous loop. It is required by regulations that an FDR verification check (readout) is performed annually in order to verify that all mandatory parameters are recorded. Many aircraft today are equipped with an "event" button in the cockpit that could be activated by the crew if an abnormality occurs in flight. Pushing

585-482: A record of events, and to help crews navigate should radio , radar or the GPS fail. Examination of the detail in a ship's log is often an important part of the investigative process for official maritime inquiries, in much the same way as a " black box " is used on airplanes . Logbook entries are sometimes of great importance in legal cases involving maritime commercial disputes. Commercial ships and naval vessels often keep

650-484: A severe aircraft accident. For this reason, they are typically specified to withstand an impact of 3400 g and temperatures of over 1,000 °C (1,830 °F), as required by EUROCAE ED-112. They have been a mandatory requirement in commercial aircraft in the United States since 1967. After the unexplained disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 in 2014, commentators have called for live streaming of data to

715-464: A wide variety of other usages . Today, a virtual or electronic logbook is typically used for record-keeping for complex machines such as nuclear plants or particle accelerators. In military terms, a logbook is a series of official and legally binding documents. Each document (usually arranged by date) is marked with the time of an event or action of significance. Most national shipping authorities and admiralties specify that logbooks are kept to provide

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780-480: Is C123b titled Cockpit Voice Recorder Equipment. Where an aircraft is required to carry a CVR and uses digital communications the CVR is required to record such communications with air traffic control unless this is recorded elsewhere. As of 2008 it is an FAA requirement that the recording duration is a minimum of two hours. The European Aviation Safety Agency increased the recording duration to 25 hours in 2021. In 2023,

845-606: Is a unit that receives various discrete, analog and digital parameters from a number of sensors and avionic systems and then routes them to the FDR and, if installed, to the QAR. Information from the FDAU to the FDR is sent via specific data frames, which depend on the aircraft manufacturer. Many modern aircraft systems are digital or digitally controlled . Very often, the digital system will include built-in test equipment which records information about

910-512: Is an FAA requirement that the CVR recording duration is a minimum of two hours, following the NTSB recommendation that it should be increased from its previously mandated 30-minute duration. From 2014 the United States requires flight data recorders and cockpit voice recorders on aircraft that have 20 or more passenger seats, or those that have six or more passenger seats, are turbine-powered, and require two pilots. For US air carriers and manufacturers,

975-400: Is an electronic device employed to record instructions sent to any electronic systems on an aircraft. The data recorded by the FDR are used for accident and incident investigation. Due to their importance in investigating accidents, these ICAO -regulated devices are carefully engineered and constructed to withstand the force of a high speed impact and the heat of an intense fire. Contrary to

1040-446: Is capable of recording four channels of audio data for a period of two hours. The original requirement was for a CVR to record for 30 minutes, but this has been found to be insufficient in many cases because significant parts of the audio data needed for a subsequent investigation occurred more than 30 minutes before the end of the recording. The earliest CVRs used analog wire recording , later replaced by analog magnetic tape . Some of

1105-699: The USAAF conducted an experiment with a magnetic wire recorder to capture the inter-phone conversations of a B-17 bomber flight crew on a combat mission over Nazi-occupied France. The recording was broadcast back to the United States by radio two days afterwards. In 1953, while working at the Aeronautical Research Laboratories (ARL) of the Defence Science and Technology Organisation in Melbourne , Australian research scientist David Warren conceived

1170-439: The flight-data acquisition units . They record significant flight parameters, including the control and actuator positions, engine information and time of day . There are 88 parameters required as a minimum under current US federal regulations (only 29 were required until 2002), but some systems monitor many more variables. Generally each parameter is recorded a few times per second , though some units store "bursts" of data at

1235-458: The 'black boxes' and, even more important, the detrimental effect on performance of external aerials, still remain as a radio and radar problem." (The term " black box " is used with a different meaning in science and engineering, describing a system exclusively by its inputs and outputs, with no information whatsoever about its inner workings.) Magnetic tape and wire voice recorders had been tested on RAF and USAAF bombers by 1943 thus adding to

1300-475: The 1940s and in the accident investigations of the loss of one of the wings at cruise altitude on each of two Lockheed Electra turboprop powered aircraft (Flight 542 operated by Braniff Airlines in 1959 and Flight 710 operated by Northwest Orient Airlines in 1961) led to his wondering what the pilots may have said just prior to the wing loss and during the descent as well as the type and nature of any sounds or explosions that may have preceded or occurred during

1365-469: The 1960 crash of Trans Australia Airlines Flight 538 at Mackay, Queensland , the inquiry judge strongly recommended that flight recorders be installed in all Australian airliners. Australia became the first country in the world to make cockpit-voice recording compulsory. The United States' first cockpit voice recorder rules were passed in 1964, requiring all turbine and piston aircraft with four or more engines to have CVRs by March 1, 1967. As of 2008 it

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1430-507: The 1970s. In 1947, Hussenot founded the Société Française des Instruments de Mesure with Beaudouin and another associate, so as to market his invention, which was also known as the "hussenograph". This company went on to become a major supplier of data recorders, used not only aboard aircraft but also trains and other vehicles. SFIM is today part of the Safran group and is still present in

1495-596: The European Organisation for Civil Aviation Equipment documents EUROCAE ED55, ED56 Fiken A and ED112 (Minimum Operational Performance Specification for Crash Protected Airborne Recorder Systems). In the United States, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulates all aspects of US aviation, and cites design requirements in their Technical Standard Order, based on the EUROCAE documents (as do

1560-466: The FAA proposed extending requirements to 25 hours to help in investigations like runway incursions. In a January 2024 press conference on Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 , National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) chair Jennifer Homendy again called for extending retention to 25 hours, rather than the currently-mandated 2 hours, on all existing devices, rather than only newly manufactured ones. A standard CVR

1625-688: The Ministry patented it under British patent 19330/45. The first modern flight data recorder, called "Mata-Hari", was created in 1942 by Finnish aviation engineer Veijo Hietala. This black high-tech mechanical box was able to record all required data during test flights of fighter aircraft that the Finnish Air Force repaired or built in its main aviation factory in Tampere , Finland. During World War II both British and American air forces successfully experimented with aircraft voice recorders. In August 1943

1690-407: The NTSB is responsible for investigating accidents and safety-related incidents. The NTSB also serves in an advisory role for many international investigations not under its formal jurisdiction. The NTSB does not have regulatory authority, but must depend on legislation and other government agencies to act on its safety recommendations. In addition, 49 USC Section 1114(c) prohibits the NTSB from making

1755-539: The US Patent Office on February 2, 1961, as an "Aircraft Cockpit Sound Recorder". The 1961 invention was viewed by some as an "invasion of privacy". Subsequently, Boniface filed again on February 4, 1963, for a "Cockpit Sound Recorder" (US Patent 3,327,067) with the addition of a spring-loaded switch which allowed the pilot to erase the audio/sound tape recording at the conclusion of a safe flight and landing. Boniface's participation in aircraft crash investigations in

1820-502: The advantage of not requiring scheduled maintenance and making the data easier to retrieve. This was extended to the two-hour voice recording in 1995. Since the 1970s, most large civil jet transports have been additionally equipped with a " quick access recorder " (QAR). This records data on a removable storage medium. Access to the FDR and CVR is necessarily difficult because they must be fitted where they are most likely to survive an accident; they also require specialized equipment to read

1885-678: The advent of mobile computing , logbooks were almost exclusively printed and bound in hard copy form. While physical logbooks offer advantages in frontline applications with many users (like aircraft maintenance logs), the proliferation of cloud computing and mobile devices has enabled the development of electronic logbooks . They may be as complex as software packages, or as simple as editable spreadsheets , but electronic logbooks offer several advantages including virtually unlimited capacity and digital backups . To record key navigation, engine watch, port calls and other operational activities on board vessels of all sizes, marine logbooks must meet

1950-510: The airborne stage. The team, consisting of electronics engineers Lane Sear, Wally Boswell, and Ken Fraser; developed a working design that incorporated a fire-resistant and shockproof case, a reliable system for encoding and recording aircraft instrument readings and voice on one wire, and a ground-based decoding device. The ARL system, made by the British firm of S. Davall & Sons Ltd, in Middlesex ,

2015-533: The aircraft electrical system fails. Like the FDR, the CVR is typically mounted in the rear of the airplane fuselage to maximize the likelihood of its survival in a crash. With the advent of digital recorders, the FDR and CVR can be manufactured in one fireproof, shock proof, and waterproof container as a combined digital cockpit voice and data recorder (CVDR). Currently, CVDRs are manufactured by L3Harris Technologies and Hensoldt among others. Solid state recorders became commercially practical in 1990, having

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2080-540: The assemblage of fielded and experimental electronic devices employed on Allied aircraft. As early as 1944 aviation writers envisioned use of these recording devices on commercial aircraft to aid incident investigations. When modern flight recorders were proposed to the British Aeronautical Research Council in 1958, the term "black box" was in colloquial use by experts. By 1967, when flight recorders were mandated by leading aviation countries,

2145-543: The audio recordings public except by written transcript. The ARINC Standards are prepared by the Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee (AEEC). The 700 Series of standards describe the form, fit, and function of avionics equipment installed predominately on transport category aircraft. The FDR is defined by ARINC Characteristic 747. The CVR is defined by ARINC Characteristic 757. Post incident overwriting of voice data by Nigerian crews led to

2210-447: The authorised keeper of the logbook and the original data entries which have been cancelled or corrected must remain legible. Flight recorder#Flight data recorder A flight recorder is an electronic recording device placed in an aircraft for the purpose of facilitating the investigation of aviation accidents and incidents . The device may often be referred to colloquially as a " black box ", an outdated name which has become

2275-663: The aviation authorities of many other countries). Currently, EUROCAE specifies that a recorder must be able to withstand an acceleration of 3400 g (33 km/s ) for 6.5 milliseconds . This is roughly equivalent to an impact velocity of 270 knots (310 mph; 500 km/h) and a deceleration or crushing distance of 45 cm (18 in). Additionally, there are requirements for penetration resistance, static crush, high and low temperature fires , deep sea pressure , sea water immersion, and fluid immersion. EUROCAE ED-112 (Minimum Operational Performance Specification for Crash Protected Airborne Recorder Systems) defines

2340-439: The button places a signal on the recording, marking the time of the event. Modern FDRs are typically double wrapped in strong corrosion -resistant stainless steel or titanium , with high-temperature insulation inside. Modern FDRs are accompanied by an underwater locator beacon that emits an ultrasonic "ping" to aid in detection when submerged. These beacons operate for up to 30 days and are able to operate while immersed to

2405-475: The cockpit voice/flight data recorders and an emergency locator transmitter (ELT) in a single unit. The unit would be designed to eject and float away from the aircraft and survive its descent to the ground, or float on water indefinitely. It would be equipped with satellite technology to aid in prompt recovery. Deployable CVDR technology has been used by the US Navy since 1993. While the recommendations would involve

2470-512: The cockpit, including the conversation of the pilots. The two devices may be combined into a single unit. Together, the FDR and CVR objectively document the aircraft's flight history, which may assist in any later investigation. The two flight recorders are required by international regulation, overseen by the International Civil Aviation Organization , to be capable of surviving the conditions likely to be encountered in

2535-522: The event of an accident. The first attempt at a regulatory attempt to require flight data recorders occurred in April 1941, when the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) required flight recorders on passenger aircraft that would record the aircraft's altitude and whether the radio transmitter was turned on or off. The compliance deadline for that regulation was extended several times, until June 1944 when

2600-439: The expression had found its way into general use: "These so-called 'black boxes' are, in fact, of fluorescent flame-orange in colour." The formal names of the devices are flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder . The recorders must be housed in boxes that are bright orange in color to make them more visually conspicuous in the debris after an accident. A flight data recorder (FDR; also ADR, for accident data recorder )

2665-468: The flight recorder market. The advantage of the film technology was that it could be easily developed afterwards and provides a durable, visual feedback of the flight parameters without needing any playback device. On the other hand, unlike magnetic tapes or later flash memory-based technology, a photographic film cannot be erased and reused, and so must be changed periodically. The technology was reserved for one-shot uses, mostly during planned test flights: it

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2730-593: The ground, as well as extending the battery life of the underwater locator beacons. In seafaring, a device which recorded the position of different vessels in case of an accident was patented by John Sen Inches Thomson in January, 1897. One of the earliest and proven attempts was made by François Hussenot and Paul Beaudouin in 1939 at the Marignane flight test center, France, with their "type HB" flight recorder; they were essentially photograph-based flight recorders, because

2795-466: The installation of flight recorders by July 1958 in all aircraft over 12,500 pounds (5,700 kg) and that were operated at altitudes over 25,000 feet. The requirements were further amended in September 1959, requiring the retention of records for 60 days, and the operation of the flight recorders continuously from the time of takeoff roll to the completion of the landing roll. In the investigation of

2860-513: The minimum specification to be met for all aircraft requiring flight recorders for recording of flight data, cockpit audio, images and CNS / ATM digital messages and used for investigations of accidents or incidents. When issued in March 2003, ED-112 superseded previous ED-55 and ED-56A that were separate specifications for FDR and CVR. FAA TSOs for FDR and CVR reference ED-112 for characteristics common to both types. In order to facilitate recovery of

2925-602: The noise of any aircraft structural components undergoing serious fracture and breakage) which could be overheard in the cockpit. On November 1, 1966, Bobbie R. Allen - director of Bureau of Safety, Civil Aeronautics Board and John S. Leak - chief of Technical Services Section, presented "The Potential Role of Flight Recorders in Aircraft Accident Investigation" at the AIAA/CASI Joint Meeting on Aviation Safety, Toronto , Canada. The term "black box"

2990-474: The operation of the system. This information may also be accessed to assist with the investigation of an accident or incident. The design of today's FDR is governed by the internationally recognized standards and recommended practices relating to flight recorders which are contained in ICAO Annex 6 which makes reference to industry crashworthiness and fire protection specifications such as those to be found in

3055-515: The popular term "black box", the exterior of the FDR is coated with heat-resistant bright orange paint for high visibility in wreckage, and the unit is usually mounted in the aircraft's tail section , where it is more likely to survive a crash. Following an accident, the recovery of the FDR is usually a high priority for the investigating body, as analysis of the recorded parameters can often detect and identify causes or contributing factors. Modern day FDRs receive inputs via specific data frames from

3120-418: The process. An electronic shift logbook is used at power plants and in process industry where several shift teams cooperate in maintaining production. Typically the electronic shift logbook is used to record state at the production plant, but it can also contain simple planning functions that notify personnel about upcoming maintenance activities. Compared to the paper logbook the electronic shift logbook enhance

3185-463: The record was made on a scrolling photographic film 8 metres (8.7 yd) long by 88 millimetres (3.5 in) wide. The latent image was made by a thin ray of light deviated by a mirror tilted according to the magnitude of the data to be recorded (altitude, speed, etc.). A pre-production run of 25 "HB" recorders was ordered in 1941 and HB recorders remained in use in French flight test centers well into

3250-451: The recorder from an aircraft accident site, they are required to be coloured bright yellow or orange with reflective surfaces. All are lettered "Flight recorder do not open" on one side in English and " Enregistreur de vol ne pas ouvrir " in French on the other side. To assist recovery from submerged sites they must be equipped with an underwater locator beacon which is automatically activated in

3315-431: The recorder is recovered from water and its housing has been breached. Thus, the latest designs employ solid-state memory and use fault tolerant digital recording techniques, making them much more resistant to shock, vibration and moisture. With the reduced power requirements of solid-state recorders, it is now practical to incorporate a battery in the units, so that recording can continue until flight termination, even if

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3380-482: The recording medium, with various styli, corresponding to various instruments or aircraft controls, indenting the foil. The foil was periodically advanced at set time intervals, giving a history of the aircraft's instrument readings and control settings. The unit was developed at Farnborough for the Ministry of Aircraft Production . At the war's end the Ministry got Harrison and Husband to sign over their invention to it and

3445-431: The recording. The QAR recording medium is readily removable and is designed to be read by equipment attached to a standard desktop computer. In many airlines, the quick access recordings are scanned for "events", an event being a significant deviation from normal operational parameters. This allows operational problems to be detected and eliminated before an accident or incident results. A flight-data acquisition unit (FDAU)

3510-517: The requirement was rescinded due to maintenance problems and the lack of parts due to World War 2. A similar regulation was adopted in September 1947, which required recorders in aircraft of 10,000 pounds (4,500 kg) or more, but that requirement was again rescinded in July 1948 because of a lack of availability of reliable devices. In August 1957, the CAB adopted amendments to flight regulations that required

3575-422: The specific reporting requirements of IMO , SOLAS and flag states. When maritime logbooks are of the electronic variety, manually-inserted information is normally combined with data recorded from the vessel's instruments such as time and position. Typical marine logbooks are: On any industrial site, there is a continuous stream of operational, maintenance and safety events occurring at all levels and areas within

3640-546: The tape units used two reels, with the tape automatically reversing at each end. The original was the ARL Flight Memory Unit produced in 1957 by Australian David Warren and instrument maker Tych Mirfield . Other units used a single reel, with the tape spliced into a continuous loop, much as in an 8-track cartridge . The tape would circulate and old audio information would be overwritten every 30 minutes. Recovery of sound from magnetic tape often proves difficult if

3705-526: The value of the gathered information through; Additionally, access to the information storage can be controlled through user authentication and authorizations mechanisms. In manufacturing processes, eLogbook is required to simplify and digitize traditional logbooks and manual paperwork. It offers an easy-to-use platform that allows you to record, track, and manage production activities, inventory, quality control, and maintenance in real-time. With its intuitive interface and robust features, eLogbook revolutionizes

3770-479: The way to manage documentation and saves time and money. Key features and functionalities of eLogbook in the manufacturing process: It has since been applied to a variety of other uses, including: Logbook (nautical) A logbook (a ship's logs or simply log ) is a record of important events in the management, operation, and navigation of a ship. It is essential to traditional navigation, and must be filled in at least daily. The term originally referred to

3835-487: The wing loss. His patent was for a device for recording audio of pilot remarks and engine or other sounds to be "contained with the in-flight recorder within a sealed container that is shock mounted, fireproofed and made watertight" and "sealed in such a manner as to be capable of withstanding extreme temperatures during a crash fire". The CSR was an analog device which provided a continuous erasing/recording loop (lasting 30 or more minutes) of all sounds (explosion, voice, and

3900-569: The world were largely uninterested at first, but this changed in 1958 when Sir Robert Hardingham, the secretary of the British Air Registration Board , visited the ARL and was introduced to David Warren. Hardingham realized the significance of the invention and arranged for Warren to demonstrate the prototype in the UK. The ARL assigned an engineering team to help Warren develop the prototype to

3965-478: Was a World War II British phrase, originating with the development of radio, radar, and electronic navigational aids in British and Allied combat aircraft. These often-secret electronic devices were encased in non-reflective black boxes or housings.  The earliest identified reference to "black boxes" occurs in a May 1945 Flight article, "Radar for Airlines", describing the application of wartime RAF radar and navigational aids to civilian aircraft: "The stowage of

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4030-538: Was invented and patented in the United States by James J. Ryan. Ryan's "Flight Recorder" patent was filed in August 1953 and approved on November 8, 1960, as US Patent 2,959,459. A second patent by Ryan for a "Coding Apparatus For Flight Recorders" is US Patent 3,075,192 dated January 22, 1963. A "Cockpit Sound Recorder" (CSR) was independently invented and patented by Edmund A. Boniface Jr., an aeronautical engineer at Lockheed Aircraft Corporation . He originally filed with

4095-626: Was mandated in 1965, with a further requirement in 1966 for piston-engined transports over 60,000 lb (27,000 kg), with the earlier requirement further extended to all jet transports. One of the first UK uses of the data recovered from an aircraft accident was that recovered from the Royston "Midas" data recorder that was on board the British Midland Argonaut involved in the Stockport Air Disaster in 1967. A flight recorder

4160-484: Was named the "Red Egg" because of its shape and bright red color. The units were redesigned in 1965 and relocated at the rear of aircraft to increase the probability of successful data retrieval after a crash. Carriage of data recording equipment became mandatory in UK-registered aircraft in two phases; the first, for new turbine-engined public transport category aircraft over 12,000 lb (5,400 kg) in weight,

4225-457: Was not mounted aboard civilian aircraft during routine commercial flights. Also, cockpit conversation was not recorded. Another form of flight data recorder was developed in the UK during World War II. Len Harrison and Vic Husband developed a unit that could withstand a crash and fire to keep the flight data intact. The unit was the forerunner of today's recorders, in being able to withstand conditions that aircrew could not. It used copper foil as

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