Evaluation of a Tail Located Flight Recorder

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Evaluation of a Tail Located Flight Recorder

P. M. Rich

The performance of a standard flight recorder, mounted aft of the pressurized bulkhead in the tail section of an air carrier transport aircraft was compared with that of a recorder as presently installed during flight. Two flight recorders and associated accelerometers were mounted in the aircraft; one in the cabin area near the center of gravity and one in the tail of the aircraft outside the pressurized bulkhead. The two recorders were modified to record altitude and airspeed as obtained from an altitude/airspeed transducer located near the pitot-static source. The standard airspeed and altitude channels were supplied by specially installed pitot-static lines running from the nose to the tail of the aircraft. There was no difference between the recordings of the flight recorder located at the c.g. and the recording of an identical recorder located in the tail for the parameters of airspeed, altitude, and heading. However, there was a difference between the acceleration readings of these recorders. Although there was no difference between the altitude and airspeed obtained from the pitot and static lines and the altitude obtained via an altitude/airspeed transducer, the altitude/airspeed transducer proved more practical. (Author)