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iPods to be Used as Flight Data Recorders

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the cockpit-white-boxes dept.

udamahan writes "Flight Global reports small aircraft manufacturer LoPresti is introducing a system that uses an iPod as a flight data recorder. The company states that they chose the iPod for its size, low power requirements, and the 'thousands of developers passionate about writing applications for the iPod.' The article notes that data recorders are typically used for maintenance, flight/safety analysis, or, assuming proper protection, crash investigation."

4 of 200 comments (clear)

  1. It won't break by QueePWNzor · · Score: 3, Insightful

    They'll probably secure it properly to avoid something like that. Its size will make that easily possible. Remember inertia? It can't just fly out of where it's held. If the plane crashes, it'll be still where it was attached - just under a bit of rubble.

  2. Personal Flight Recorder by tymbow · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I don't think they mean to replace the "blackbox" as most people understand it. It is accurately described in TFA as a Personal Flight Recorder. As a (recreational) pilot I can imagine a number of situations where it would be useful to be able to record basic flight data such as altitidue, speed, ground track etc. to look at after a flight.

    1. Re:Personal Flight Recorder by rvw · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I don't think they mean to replace the "blackbox" as most people understand it. It is accurately described in TFA as a Personal Flight Recorder. As a (recreational) pilot I can imagine a number of situations where it would be useful to be able to record basic flight data such as altitidue, speed, ground track etc. to look at after a flight. Another thing is that most small airplanes with propeller engines crash at much lower speeds, leaving the plane a lot more intact than the crashes we see on the news. The ipod would therefor have a much bigger chance of surviving a crash.
  3. What developers? by Ptur · · Score: 4, Insightful

    'thousands of developers passionate about writing applications for the iPod.' What developers? At Apple? Or will PortalPlayer *finally* publish its datasheets so others can write code for it too?