02/22/2007, 9:20am, EST
Thursday, February 22nd
iPods used as "black box" for airplanes
Along with suitable software, the iPod can be used to record important flight data and equipment readings to its internal hard drive, offering the ability to record over 500h of flight time data.
The company, however, was not specific about the types of information that would be recorded, the report said. Recorders are currently used to collect data for maintenance purposes through system monitoring, for post-flight analysis in training and safety-monitoring, and, when suitably protected, for crash investigation.
"This is a watershed technology for aviation," says LoPresti vice president of operations, RJ Siegel, "and we are delighted to be the first to bring it to market." The Fury (pictured below) will prove the concept, but once certificated, the iPod FDR could be deployed on other light aircraft.
iPods, however, are not just limited to cockpits. One innovative Mexican airline has already begun renting iPods to passengers, ahead of planned iPod integration by many of the major US airlines.
Filed under: iPod
, 
, 11
, 
, 
, 
, 
, 
, 
Top
subscribe to comments
for this article
I sincerely doubt that the iPod will be used in place of the black box, which is crash-survivable; it's merely being used as the recorder.
Now THAT"S funny, I don't care who youe are! Seriously, this seems an odd choice. Wouldn't something other than an iPod be cheaper?
Actually, the iPod is TOO cheap. It's a commercial device. There's a reason aviation equipment is more expensive.
The way this article is written it makes it sound like the iPod will be a critical component of these aircraft which simply is not true.
This is an incredible idea!
Of course, the iPod will be housed in something like this: http://www.ntsb.gov/Events/symp_rec/proceedings/authors/brooks.htm
The fact is that it has proven itself to be a platform for something extremely useful, with technical specs that far surpass what pilots have available today.
This flight recorder will likely use its own software to interface with the iPod's OS. Much like voice recorders for the iPod do. Moreover, Black Boxs are nothing more then recorders, accordingly, the iPod will replace the Black Box. It likely will be encased in soe sortof flame proof crash resistent container.
Pretty ingenious if you ask me. That is a company that is thinking.
PS the joke was funny.