Flight Data Recorders - The 'pinger'

Mr F · Post by **Mr F** » Fri Sep 05, 2014 11:36 am

I like aeroplanes and air crash investigation anyway, but I got particularly interested in flight data recorders when MH370 went missing. I just heard on an episode of ACI that "the transmitter of an FDR is made of ceramic, and if damaged can cause it to transmit off signal". So in this instance they were hunting for 40 and heard 42.

Anyone know much about fdr location beacons? The design? What exactly is it that's 'ceramic' and can cause frequency shift when busted?

thewisepranker · Post by **thewisepranker** » Fri Sep 05, 2014 11:37 pm

I do actually, but this will probably answer all of your questions:

BTW: I reckon MH17 is MH370. I've been saying it from the day that the first one went missing, and I'm not interested in any of these bollocks conspiracy theories.

Mr F · Post by **Mr F** » Sat Sep 06, 2014 8:58 am

That was great wise, thanks. Now, tapes. I'm sure that at the introduction of fdrs tape was basically the only economical option. However does it also happen to be a robust technology too, hence why we're still using it now despite being able to record data digitally? Or is it just that it's worked all this time and things haven't moved on? Quite surprised at just how easy the pinger came apart and how little there was separating the battery end from the elements (a simple rubber gasket?). You'd think if they're presumably rated to thousands of metres of water pressure they would be a bit more sophisticated?

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thewisepranker · Post by **thewisepranker** » Sat Sep 06, 2014 6:27 pm

The aviation industry doesn't like putting new things into planes. Yes, some of the things are new, sort of. Think of Windows 98 as being "new". For example, what actually lands the plane is something called ILS, or Instrument Landing System. It dates back to 1929 and they still use it to this day.

When designing pressure seals, the best ones are the most simple ones. Normally, they're O rings in smooth grooves with smooth interfaces. Simple but very effective, because if the O ring grooves and the bit around the O ring is designed properly, the rubber O ring will simply extrude into the smaller gap, effectively plugging it up. It has failed and will need replacing, but has probably kept everything dry.

Mr F · Post by **Mr F** » Sat Sep 06, 2014 6:33 pm

I was interested to learn, or at least that guy was speculating that the fdr had its own pitot tube and altimeter. Was he actually right? I don't understand how the fdr pitot tube obtains a reading without being mounted externally on the plane? While we're on pitot tubes; must be the most common cause of commercial air crashes ever lol well, aside from human error that is.

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Mr F · Post by **Mr F** » Sat Sep 06, 2014 6:37 pm

Ps welcome to aviationnecks.co.uk everyone

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sinus trouble · Post by **sinus trouble** » Tue Nov 04, 2014 12:53 am

LOL that 'black box' reminds me of a commodore 64!! I think it is outdated and pretty much useless apart from radio communication recordings! most aircraft accidents are solved by examining the wreckage! with the tecnology airbus and boeing are using today youd expect to see something better and more compact than that??

sinus trouble · Post by **sinus trouble** » Tue Nov 04, 2014 12:55 am

Loved the helios flight 522!! the ghost plane!! spooky!! Lol

Flight Data Recorders - The 'pinger'

Flight Data Recorders - The 'pinger'

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Re: Flight Data Recorders - The 'pinger'

Re: Flight Data Recorders - The 'pinger'

Re: Flight Data Recorders - The 'pinger'

Re: Flight Data Recorders - The 'pinger'

Re: Flight Data Recorders - The 'pinger'

Re: Flight Data Recorders - The 'pinger'