How Does The Black Box Survive Airplane Crashes

CNBC December 5, 2025
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Video Description

After the search for survivors and recovery of victims in tragic aviation accidents — like that of a UPS cargo plane shortly after takeoff from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Kentucky last month — comes the search for flight data and a cockpit voice recorder often called the "black box." Every commercial plane has them. Aerospace giants GE Aerospace and Honeywell are among a few companies that design them to be nearly indestructible so they can help investigators understand the cause of a crash. A crash can cost airlines or plane manufacturers hundreds of millions of dollars and leave victims' families with a lifetime of grief. And this crucial data can also help prevent future accidents. But in some circumstances black boxes were destroyed or never found. Experts say further developments such as cockpit video recorders and real-time data streaming are needed. CNBC explores the evolution of black box recorders. Chapters: 0:00 - 1:49 Introduction 1:50 - 5:36 From aluminum foil to chips 5:37 - 9:50 How black boxes work 9:51 - 13:40 The future of flight data recorders Produced and Edited by: Erin Black Animations by: Emily Park, Jason Reginato Senior Director of Video: Jeniece Pettitt Additional Reporting: Leslie Josephs » Subscribe to CNBC TV: https://cnb.cx/SubscribeCNBCtelevision » Watch CNBC on the go with CNBC+: https://www.cnbc.com/WatchCNBCPlus About CNBC: From 'Wall Street' to 'Main Street' to award winning original documentaries and Reality TV series, CNBC has you covered. Experience special sneak peeks of your favorite shows, exclusive video and more. Want to be your own boss? Sign up for Smarter by CNBC Make It's new online course, How To Start A Business: For First-Time Founders. Find step-by-step guidance for launching your first business, from testing your idea to growing your revenue. Sign up today: https://cnb.cx/4gEgnhO Connect with CNBC News Online Get the latest news: https://www.cnbc.com/ Follow CNBC on LinkedIn: https://cnb.cx/LinkedInCNBC Follow CNBC News on Instagram: https://cnb.cx/InstagramCNBC Follow CNBC News on Facebook: https://cnb.cx/LikeCNBC Follow CNBC on Threads: https://cnb.cx/threads Follow CNBC News on X: https://cnb.cx/FollowCNBC Follow CNBC on WhatsApp: https://cnb.cx/WhatsAppCNBC #CNBC How Black Boxes Became Key To Solving Airplane Crashes

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