Why is the flight recorder Yellow when it is called a Black box?

Answer 1

It is actually a vivid orange not yellow

Answer 2

Black refers to mysterious, not color. In 1957 when flight data recording was first developed, data recording to a small container that was crash resistant was a marvel of technology and so very mysterious.

According to the Code of Federal Regulations in the United States Flight Data Recorders must be bright orange or bright yellow with reflective tape to facilitate location underwater.

Some history:
The first prototype FDR was produced in 1957 by Dr. David Warren of the then Aeronautical Research Laboratories of Australia. In 1953 and 1954, a series of fatal mishaps on the de Havilland DH106 Comet prompted the grounding of the entire fleet pending an investigation. Dr. Warren, a chemist specializing in aircraft fuels, was involved in a professional committee discussing the possible causes. Since there had been no witnesses, and no survivors, Dr. Warren began to conceive of a crash survivable method to record the flight crew's conversation, reasoning they would likely know the cause.
Despite his 1954 report entitled "A Device for Assisting Investigation into Aircraft Accidents" and a 1957 prototype FDR named "The ARL Flight Memory Unit", aviation authorities from around the world were largely uninterested. This changed in 1958 when Sir Robert Hardingham, the Secretary of the UK Air Registration Board, became interested. Dr. Warren was asked to create a pre-production model which culminated into the "Red Egg", the world's first commercial FDR by the British firm, S. Davall & Son. The "Red Egg" got its name from the shape and bright red color. Incidentally, the term "Black Box" came from a meeting about the "Red Egg", when afterwards a journalist told Dr. Warren, "This is a wonderful black box." The unit itself was based on a wire recorder using not tape but wire as a recording medium and said recorder was fitted into a perspex box firmly screwed together.

Answer 3

efes_haze gives a great answer and comes closest to the mark. Nobody in the aviation industry calls the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) or the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) a "black box." (We call them "CVR's" and "FDR's".)

Years ago in aviation, as radios and other avionics became more complicated, we began to use Avionics Specialists who are trained and able to repair them....instead of the old manner where a line mechanic would start pulling tubes and tweaking dials. Most of these avionics components were encased in metal boxes that were painted black...who knows...because black paint was cheap.

So if a radio went bad, the pilot or mechanic would say something like "We need to pull or replace the black box"...sort of as a generic term for meaning we need to get the radio fixed.

Anyway, somewhere along the line, the press got hold of this expression and attached it to the CVR's and FDR's that are always an important item that investigators look for after a crash.

It's sorta like when the press says "the engine stalled." In aviation...a "stall" has nothing to do with the engine (maybe the term "compressor stall" is an exception...but in that case, the engine remains operating...it's an airflow issue.) A "stall" is a condition where the wing loses lift.

An "FDR"

http://www.aviationexplorer.com/av_info_pics/cockpit_flight_recorder.jpg

A "black box" (VHF radio)

http://www.teledyne-controls.com/images/vhf_radio.jpg

Answer 4

It was the fashion that all boxes of electronics were painted black, especially around the time of the last World War and the decade or so afterwards.

So the ordinary folk, baffled or awestruck by the technology, referred to all pieces of whizzo kit as black boxes.

When the flight recorder came along, the press, unenlightened as they are, referred to them as black boxes. It sounded good and made a wizard headline.

Of course, the practical guys who made the things, got them painted in a fluorescent yellow or orange to make them easy to find. The press, continued on their merry way, still calling them by the outmoded slang.

Answer 5

diverse the avionics in an plane are black packing bins plugged into an avionics rack. however the flight information and cockpit voice recorder are orange so as that they are able to be particularly got here across. they are additionally fixed as far back interior the tail as obtainable so as that they could have the terrific risk of surviving intack. yet we don't call them black packing bins, in no way have. We call them the FDR and CFR. it particularly is the media that likes to apply buzz words like "black field". and you fantastic harmless individuals have bought into those buzz words and greater. between the final issues you elect to do suitable after an plane twist of destiny, if it particularly is splendid information approximately what befell you elect, is to pay any interest to any of the information thoughts appropriate to the crash. The preliminary comments are incorrect in simple terms approximately one hundred % of the time. think of approximately it. If it takes the national transportation secure practices board greater advantageous than a year oftentimes situations to come back up with a explanation for the twist of destiny, and there is no person greater helpful at doing that, why might you pay attention to particularly human beings on the nightly information as they permit you already know "what all of us understand as much as now"? and that they could have yet to locate those "black packing bins."

Answer 6

The "black box" is called that by people who don't know what they are talking about, or those people for whom details are not important.

The correct name is a Flight Data Recorder and/or Voice Data Recorder

Answer 7

Yep- it's bright orange like the others said. If you ever get to fly on an MD-88, ask the flight attendant to show it to you (but only BEFORE you take off) It is the only plane it can be easily seen without breaking all security barriers and you end up on the 6 o'clock news.

Answer 8

It's normally painted international orange though some are red or yellow. They're painted bright colors so that they can be more easily found among the rubble from a crash. "Black box" is just a name.

Answer 9

Originally they were painted black, but then it was realised that they were too difficult to spot among the burnt remains of crashed aircraft and so were then painted a bright orange colour. Also, these days, it is usually a case of 'Black Boxes' as most commercial aircraft are now fitted with two such devices.

Answer 10

The term black box is generic for electronic line replacement units. "its a black box" as its real function would be techno babble.

And its yellow so it can be easily located after a crash!

Answer 11

It is nicknamed as "Black Box" because it usually holds the
bad truth of what really happened, which normally is not good
News. In or minds white is positive and good, whilst black denotes
negative and bad. The colour yellow is to make the box easier to
find. Now, please do not take this explanation as a discriminating
ethnic offence, because it does not refer to human behaviour nor
origin!