Why Cant This Be Done to save lives?

Question

You know that little indestructible black box that is used on planes...

why can't they make the whole plane out of the same substance?

Wouldnt it be safer? How about making cars out of that too? Seems like it might be a good idea. I'm sure it would be expensive but arent they already??

Answer 1

The black box comes out, partially intact, mostly because if its relatively small mass... and because it it tightly packed... humans cannot be tightly packed into an airplane and when they are not... they would get killed by more than impact with the ground...

Also, the weight of the airplane would be far too much to even consider such an idea... its like getting an aircraft carrier to fly...

Answer 2

This question has been asked before, and I've answered it before, and I'll answer it again.
For one reason, yes, the weight would be an issue, but it could be overcame.
Second, the box itself is inside an even larger box that absorbs the worse of the impact, damage and what not, this box is the airplane itself, yet the black box itself still receives considerable amount of damaged in sever wrecks.
Now for the main reason. Planes are expensive as is made out of mainly aluminum. But let us replace that aluminum with a stronger and lighter material such as titanium, and you thought aluminum aircraft were expensive. Okay, instead of the titanium let us use steel. Weight has been mentioned, but now the airframe would be too brittle.
Aircraft have to be flexible in flight and need a flexible yet light material. As a metals strength goes up, in most cases so does its brittleness. If the material is brittle, the constant flexing of the airframe in flight would case the material to work-harden to the point of where it would break and fall apart.
Simply put, using the materials of a black box to make the whole aircraft would make it too expensive, and way to brittle to even remain in tack.

Answer 3

This question seems to pop up every few days. The box is anything except indestructable. I have never seen one from a crash that was not very badly damaged, and we have assisted the FAA & NTSB in a few crash investigations. The box is designed to save a few important internal components, but people can't be wrapped in steel and aluminum and encapsulated in flame retardant foam and be expected to breathe, much less have a comfortable flight.

The only way to truly save lives is to prevent the accident in the first place. There is really no way to fully mitigate the damage suffered by the vehicle and its occupants in an accident. Remove the causes of the accidents and you will save lives.

Answer 4

A whole airliner made of stainless steel. It would never get off the ground for one.

Here's an experiment you can try. Find a steel box somewhere, and put an egg in it, just held in with duct tape. Drop the box off of a 100 foot tall building. Lemme know how that egg came out, because that's what would happen to the passengers.

Answer 5

There is one thing that reduces the impact on the black box: the plane itself. Thats why they put it at the rear of the aircraft.
To find out more, go to: http://www.howstuffworks.com/black-box2.htm

Anyway, the box is almost in solid state, as there is almost no space inside. Everything is stuck down. Unless u think nailing urself on the seat is ok, the airliners have made sure that the seats are safe, at present.

Answer 6

They are orange by the way.

That small unit costs about $12,000-$20,000 and is able to survive the extreme conditions of an airplane accident.

In theory, it sounds like a great idea to make everything out of that material (titanium and stainless), but the cost would be astronomical.

Answer 7

okay
just say that the airplane are made of the same substance as the black box
when the plane crashes and impact and the g-force could still kill you.

Answer 8

Lets see at 60 mph if you have your feet on the floor of a car you will have two broke legs and the same with hands on the dash. Now lets see 300 or 400 mph you would be the bug on your windshield you just hit at 70 mph

Answer 9

the box is so survivable because it contains sturdy data recording material within, no human..
btw the aircraft would have to go on rail, cause it would be veryvery heavy.

Answer 10

It's called inertia. Like the old saying goes, it is not the fall that kills you, it's the sudden stop.