Black box: Inside a flight data recorder

[vitormangraviti]

Hiya. Do you think that these devices will eventually be replaced by SSD drives? As we all know, SSD drives can take much greater impacts than normal HD drives. I believe that the kind of data that can be stored in a digital drive would be much more accurate than a bunch of needles and the amount of data can be much larger as well.

If you think about it, the SSD drives can be customized for this kind of application as well as the outer box.

Maybe I will invent that and get rich. Wanna join me?

[darkheat246]

Wouldn't that be dated modern black boxes use advance ram and memory chips.

[DiamondPilotDan]

... Nice haircut

[engineerguyvideo]

@DiamondPilotDan Thanks!

[DiamondPilotDan]

@engineerguyvideo sercasm

[whammack]

@DiamondPilotDan My reply too!

[poodoo138]

-Make houses, cars, and planes out of sane framework found in blackboxes

-No one ever dies

[loverzohaib]

Only Dislike is from JUSTIN BIEBER.. he does not know how to sing.. so how can he understand science :D

[TheWelschman]

Aerogel would be a great thing to use for a heat resistant, that is only if you're looking for something that is light weight.

[d1353lp0w3r]

so they had to change the spool every few flights?

[assqwert]

you have big eyes :s

[MrBlokGuy]

my god I wish you taught at my school

[taperview]

Hi. Is that thing called a magazine?

[GXman2211]

you shuold explain how wireless connections works :)

- and i love your vids :P

[davio3d]

If I had you as a teacher, I bet I would become an engineer instead of mediaworker. Keep up the good work!

[chopin999]

according to the 911 commision these things just disintegrate

[keagsta]

You my friend just helped me a lot in my engineering studies assessment task. Thanks a million!

[Cketzalcoatl]

I'm a material scientist specialising in Nickel base superalloys so allow me to say: Aaarghh, Inconel isn't a steel alloy! As the name would imply, it's mostly Nickel (40 - 70% Ni depending on the exact alloy), they may have a bit of iron in there but it isn't more than 10%. But anyway, awesome videos!

[engineerguyvideo]

@Cketzalcoatl Fair enough ... now that I reflect on it I guess the definition of steel would must iron based. These superalloys are fascinating. I wish I could have done more with them: they have made life changing differences in our world. BTW a prime example of how engineering doesn't always need a fundamental scientific understanding for success: E.g., if I recall gamma hardening observed and used before detailed mechanistic studies of the 1960s. (Note that "always" in the statement!)

[danielcarmi305]

Do you really need the altitude before the crash? It crashes at the same altitude at the ground.

[cabbievonbump]

@danielcarmi305 Think about it. At what altitude did the problem first occur, at what altitude did the crew become aware of it, etcetera. Anyone can see the result of the disaster, but the investigators want to know who-what-when-where-why caused the disaster. Remember, the idea behind the box is the assumption that the first clue anyone had of a problem with the aircraft is when it has a Zen experience with Terra Firma, where the plane and the ground become One at a rather high velocity.

[CamiloSanchez1979]

Dude this is the reason why the internet is so cool. Thanks for that. Also, I like a lot that you made a vid of an old black box because the new ones being digital don't require much ingenuity as this mechanical one.

[Zooni2]

Great video. This is a pre 1989 FDR. They no longer use oscillographic foil recorders. it would be interesting to know how long the new digital FDRs will hold data before it decays and how reliable they are compared to the old ones.

[lipton5001]

I would have liked a more in-depth insight into this device ... GREAT videos though !

[machogun]

was hoping that it contained half life 2 and team fortress 2. :(

[kasmember17]

Why is it orange???????

[cristoretornebiblia]

@kasmember17 In case the Aircraft crashes somewhere in the jungle in Tazamania or in the mountains near the Himalayas the "black box" will be easy to spot by its colour

[pakohdl]

@kasmember17 because when an accident happens, it's easier to find it with that orange color

[MisterErts]

A pity you don't have any modern ones to compare it to. The new ones are much smaller and store all data digitally (it has been the law to have digital ones for the last 20 years), and they don't have any internal instruments. Absolutely no one in the industry calls them black boxes.

[engineerguyvideo]

@MisterErts I agree. We just could not get a hold of a modern one, at least not a cheap one! I agree with the "black box" usage in the industry, that's why I really wanted to get across the phrase "flight data recorder."

[pacedom1]

In the words of Chris Rock.. Why can't the entire plane be built with that material! lol

[ERDEngineer]

Any chance of seeing how some of the internal instruments work?

[engineerguyvideo]

@ERDEngineer Good idea. It was extremely hard to get ANY info about this box. Maybe we'll take it apart. It is sitting in the studio; in fact came across the ebay receipt for $75.00 for it just today.

[hawkeman]

Bill is an engineer? An engineer that has not yet mastered the word "especially"? Credibility shot in :31 seconds.

[engineerguyvideo]

@hawkeman Since when were engineer reputed to have high verbal skills ;-) My mother was raised in southern Indiana and I am "blessed" with traces of her accent. In fact I took voice lessons many years ago to reduce it, but it still comes out. For example, I make "southern" three syllables and I still have trouble with the vowel sound in words like "pin" and "pen" - hard to even hear the difference. Sorry it annoyed you. There is a complete transcript at my web site to be read however you want!

[hawkeman]

@engineerguyvideo I understand that all too well. I had to overcome "Southern Americanese" all of my life. I'm an engineer as well and I make the odd mistake, too (for pronounced more like "fur") but try to keep it to a minimum when called upon to present (to Corp. or Customer). That particular non-word is just a major pet peeve of mine that happened to catch me on a Monday. No big deal, interesting spot of video. Keep it up!

[engineerguyvideo]

@hawkeman np! If one takes offense easily then making youtube vids is the wrong job! You should see what they say about my hair! In regards to accent: It the hybrid that's the problem ... if I had a complete southern accent it would be fine or standard mid-western (as my father a theater professor had) .. but instead you get this stream of mid-western and then this "solecism" ... at least I don't dance or sing on video that would be an even greater affront on a Monday morning ;-)

[wilpal7]

I thought the black box was... black.

[Ogoidg]

Why the black box is orange?

[CampKohler]

@Ogoidg The term black box refers to any electrical/electronic package that is to be considered as a unit; that is, you know the inputs and outputs, but exactly what goes on inside is not in your job description, so to speak. It is painted orange to increase visibilty to facilitate it's location after a crash. (Since the government specifies the color, be thankful it's not kerosine-soaked-dirt-colored. :-) )

[RealBigfootFilms]

yet they couldnt find it after 9/11.....

[notasissy]

The black box was invented by DSTO in Australia, found out when did some work for them.

[19spiderdog59]

Would it vaporize if it hit the Pentagon ?

[TheGibbousPhase]

I like this sounds the black box makes :)

[engineerguyvideo]

@TheGibbousPhase I like to hear this. When Nick and I designed this second series we wanted the videos to be as visceral as possible - to have the objects as tangible as could be to the viewer. In fact, I wanted to speed up the part with the great sound where I take the cartridge out, but Nick (who edited the piece) suggested we let the sound be heard. Good call on his part!

[junkano]

@engineerguyvideo I like the sound of it too

[cvunit]

I'm still wondering how no black box was found on the 9/11 attack, but they found passports of the terrorist >.<

[gengkey]

I'm a technician for aircraft maintenance,and good to see the simple way from you to explain it. Salute :)

[Tonynz]

.............. but will it blend????

[engineerguyvideo]

@Tonynz I doubt that heat treated inconel will blend .... unless the blades were made of some kind of inconel ... just a guess ... I still have the flight data recorder so maybe we'll test it.

[prump1]

@Tonynz no.



[Julian0Zuazua]

You should be famous

[gameboy772]

Know I now why the whole plane isn't made of a black box. Though he lost me at "if"

[centpushups]

look at that its orange box

[SpicyHam]

damn I wish my skin was made of such materials!

[canyonair]

You missed some important information in your video. The ULB Locator Beacon was never mentioned. You also did not mention the protective material that encases the recording module. The recorder you bought on ebay was stripped of these items.

[pornstar7g]

great video! he explains very well...

[ScampiCheese]

weirdly I like this video, voice is smoothing and he seems to really enjoy what he does

[engineerguyvideo]

@ScampiCheese 1) I do like what I'm doing ... I'm truly thrilled about these old engineering things (pop cans, coffee makers, typewriters, etc), 2) I was on public radio for a long time ... its that old NPR voice modulation transfered to YouTube ;-) P.S. All my old radio pieces are on my web site ... give the ice hotel a try ... its my favorite.

[LYZZOWCHAN5]

lol they should have build the plane that way

[ICanDoThatToo2]

I like your videos, but you don't go deep enough. What does data look like on the foil? Do the tips scratch, dent, or cut the foil?

[engineerguyvideo]

@ICanDoThatToo2 It "scratches" ... engraves is the term I think that is typically used. Each video has a home page at engineerguy web site (see "learn more" banner in video) which gives more info on the subject .. there is a link to an FAA report that gives more detail .... that said always ask a question here and I'll answer it!

[lthnnpwr]

great video, once again.

[jayfulf]

Another interesting piece of engineering "simplicity" often overlooked. Love the vids!

[jeff5683]

My brother designs these things.. He told me planes usually have 2... one near the cockpit and one in the tail.. the ones in the tail are typically the only ones ever retrieved. Do you know which this one would have been?

[MajorDisaster4u]

Thanks I really like your channel it's very educational and you make it fun.

[mcjhn]

@engineerguyvideo do you know much about Grote Reber? I only recently found out about him and would love to know more about him and the invention of the radio telescope

p.s. your channel is one of my favs, thanks for the brilliant videos

[edgarinv]

THANKS 

[dinomaui]

I'm pretty sure I read that article on the microwave oven! I reference it often when people ask about how one works. I need to subscribe to that mag again... now in fact!

[dinomaui]

Your series reminds me of Invention and Technology magazine, one my faves. You shed new light on older technology. Excellent work!

[engineerguyvideo]

@dinomaui Interesting you should mention this: About ten years ago I wrote a article for them on the microwave oven; they just reprinted it in the current issue. The mag folded a few years ago, but I'm happy to report that it is back!

[zcxvasdfqwer1234]

i always wondered what was really inside those things!

[sk7ca]

OMG! :D that's just a totally awesome piece of equipment! :)

[findingadly]

WOW .. first time to see/know how it works ... thanks

[jeriellsworth]

I love your series. It's great to celebrate the creative engineers.

[engineerguyvideo]

@jeriellsworth That's exactly what it is ... in fact I am always slightly disappointed if someone describes it as a science series! I always hope to move behind a simple "how things work" by highlighting some of the choices and decisions made by an object's designers.

[jeriellsworth]

@engineerguyvideo People overlook what can be learned from older technology. I spend hours researching techniques used back in a time when we an engineer didn't have as many tools, resources, materials, computational power, etc. I think it makes me a better and more valuable engineer.

[morto360]

Very nice video!!

But how are the new blackboxes protected? I can only imagine a special casing, but this don´t fix the problem with the high temperature inside the case?!

[engineerguyvideo]

@morto360 The trick here is to make the recording medium (the strips of inconel steel on the spool) to be very tough. In crashes much of the black box itself is destroyed, but they can piece together the piece of foil to reconstruct the readings.

[morto360]

@engineerguyvideo by "new" I mean the digital version of it. Todays blackboxes.. do they work on same concept?

[alphabeets]

Cool!

[engineerguyvideo]

@alphabeets Yeah I love this old stuff ... how engineers solved problems in a pre-soild state digital age.