Expert: Paul Ruderham - 6/5/2009

Question
Regarding the recenlty downed Air France jet, why is it not possible to design some sort of flotation/ejection device inside the flight recorder box so that the thing could be released in deep water for easy finding?

Answer
Hi Eleanor,

It's a good idea but you have to realise that these boxes are designed to withstand 100's of g-forces so as to protect the magnetic tape inside. any flotation device inside would probably reduce the strength of the recorder.

Also another factor would be that if it was floating on the surface anyone could find it and take it as a souvenir or whatever and that would be a disaster. They are safer on the seabed where they emit a radio signal for up to 30 days so that they can be recovered by experts. These are the only things that will tell what went wrong on the airbus.

regards
paul