I work on flight data recorders, mainly in rotorcraft but some small fixed wing aircraft. The current generation does use a satellite connection for real time tracking, as well as sending high level caution information, and a few data parameters. Really the cost of sending data over the satellite is the real issue. However this is coming down.<p>Outside of that, the ADS-B requirement is a huge help in knowing where aircraft are and where they are going.
> It was a wake-up call to the airline industry of the dangers of over-reliance on automation.<p>Ironically, if the pilots had simply let go of the controls, the airplane would have righted itself.
The following is related, also one of the best magazine articles i came across, thanks HN<p>The Human Factor – the 2009 crash of Air France Flight 447 - <a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8452080">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8452080</a>
Should also have a video camera in the cockpit. Many crashes would have been resolved much sooner if they'd known what the crew was doing instead of doing a lot of guesswork.
For the same reason why GA aircraft still fill up on leaded fuel, the FAA doesn't really give a shit and there's no incentive from private companies to make them care.
> it continued recording for a split second after the power had been cut off,<p>Sigh, I'd include a capacitor in the design so the box will record a few seconds after the power is cut off.
I’d like to understand how we keep losing planes. Satellite internet+GPS could enable semi-realtime location tracking for all planes. Instead we get cases like MH370, where we are completely clueless where a plane went.
You know why :) Stockholders, Corp Execs want their dividends and bonuses. Saving lives comes last.<p>There was a proposal to also send this info real time, but that has been shotdown many times.
How many self-serving bureaucrats, corporate executives, politicians, and union leaders, from how many different countries, would likely get in the way of actual improvements?<p>How tiny a percent of airline flight outcomes would be substantially improved by any sounds-good change to the Black Boxes?<p>Sticking with the status quo sounds pretty optimal to me.<p>(After several cool-sounding stories of crashes, the article comes to a similar conclusion.)