Flight recorder

High school (ages 12+)
Transportation

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/flight-recorder

1. How tall is Flight recorder?
2. What is the data recording parameters (FDR)?
3. What is the audio recording duration (CVR)?
4. What is a flight recorder and why is it called a black box even though it's orange?
5. What kinds of information does the flight data recorder collect?

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How tall is Flight recorder?Required in commercial aircraft in the United States since 1967
2. What is the data recording parameters (FDR)?Dozens of parameters, including airspeed, altitude, acceleration, and control surface positions
3. What is the audio recording duration (CVR)?Typically records the last 30 minutes to 2 hours of cockpit audio
4. What is a flight recorder and why is it called a black box even though it's orange?The flight recorder is a special box on an airplane that keeps a record of what happens during a flight. It's called a black box because people used to paint it black, but today it is bright orange so it can be found more easily.
5. What kinds of information does the flight data recorder collect?The flight data recorder logs many things, like how fast the plane is going, how high it is, how the wings are moving, how the engines are working, and where the controls are set. It records these details many times each second.

Flight Data Recorder (FDR): Records detailed flight parameters, providing a quantitative history of an aircraft's performance.
Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR): Captures audio from the flight deck, offering qualitative insights into crew actions and communication.
Survivability Standards: Rigorous engineering requirements ensuring recorders can withstand extreme accident conditions.