Black Box in the Sky Recorder Could Expand Flight Data Downloads

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.

According to Honeywell, the new technology simplifies how flight data is collected from the aircraft by uploading and streaming it via a cloud-based portal rather than from the physical device itself. During a recent briefing in Brno, Tomas Kral, senior engineering manager of the recorders team, said that initial customer reaction to the new approach has been positive.

Kral said that the BBITS system is ready to handle tasks such as monitoring a predefined event such as turbulence or hard landings, streaming data during a distress event, or providing additional information for maintenance personnel. Honeywell’s 25-hour Connected Recorder (HCR-25) forms the hub of the system, which, according to the company, is the first connected recorder that can stream data out of the box to the ground infrastructure.

The system was developed to comply with an FAA ruling that went into force on May 16, requiring all new U.S.-registered commercial aircraft to be equipped with a 25-hour cockpit voice recorder system (up from a previously required two-hour duration). More than 1,000 units have been delivered to Boeing 737, 767, and 777 operators since the agency certified the equipment in 2023.

Simplifying Data Downloads

However, the enhanced BBITS system currently under development seeks to significantly simplify how to operate the data from the recorder, according to Honeywell. A single software program will integrate different modules to allow customers to gain maximum insight from the wealth of information available.

“It’s highly configurable,” Kral explained. “We are leaving it up to the operators and customers to define how to get the data and when to get the data.” Honeywell is also developing a new integrated service system to allow customers to upload and analyze their data through a cloud portal.

The U.S.-based aerospace group has already developed a prototype system that can be deployed in prospective airline customers’ data centres. Near real-time analysis can also be conducted mid-flight, with data streamed via satellite communications.

In this application, a predefined set of around 80 mandatory parameters to be downloaded from the aircraft would require roughly 3 kilobits per second bandwidth. Kral acknowledged the capability doesn’t yet include voice streaming from the flight deck as “there are still things to be figured out in terms of data privacy.”

Prospective customers including Boeing and Airbus are actively discussing BBITS with Honeywell. As well as ongoing analysis aboard Honeywell’s Boeing 757 test aircraft, the Brno team is also participating in Eurocae working group 118 to help define the form and function of the group’s concept for a Lightweight Flight Recording System.