Avionics
Black Box in the Sky Recorder Could Expand Flight Data Downloads
Honeywell engineers in the Czech Republic are expanding the scope of recorder technology
Honeywell's Black Box in the Sky flight data recorder
Honeywell says Black Box in the Sky flight data recorder will improve how information is downloaded from aircraft. © Honeywell Aerospace

Honeywell Aerospace is trying to get beyond the limitations of legacy hardware-focused flight data recorders with the development of a system it calls “Black Box in the Sky” (BBITS), which is a digitally-connected solution that can stream flight data in near real-time. The intention is to deliver more than just the mandatory data that aircraft operators are required to store to provide data-driven insights that have wider value.

That said, BBITS’ development has in part been prompted by the upcoming international Timely Recovery of Flight Data (TRFD) mandate, which is expected to take effect by the end of the decade. The work is being driven by Honeywell’s facility at Brno in the Czech Republic, which holds design authority for all of the company’s in-production recorders.

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