The Story of the Black Box Flight Recorder

This resource has been designed to support the use of Museums Victoria’s Innovation Stories series, a digital project showcasing stories of Victorian innovation. This video resource focuses on invention of the black box flight recorder, and provides guided discussion questions, prompts and extension activities for the classroom.

In this activity students will

• Watch a video in which they hear from historians and experts about Dr David Warren and the development of the black box flight recorder. 
• Read about the historical context, significance and legacy of this groundbreaking invention.   
• Start to investigate significant historical ideas and people.
• Consider how scientific knowledge, skills and data are used in innovation.
• Explore the Museums Victoria online collection.

Suggested questions to engage students

• How would you describe innovation?
• What characteristics or qualities do you associate with an innovator or inventor?
• Can you name some Australian innovations?
• Have you heard of the black box flight recorder? What do you understand it to be? 

What to do

Watch the video and read the accompanying article: 

In small groups or as a class discuss the following questions:

• How did commercial flight change the world? What opportunities did it present? What challenges?
• What problem did Dr David Warren want to solve? How did he come up with the idea?
• How did Dr Warren use prototyping? How did this help develop the black box flight recorder? 
• Why, and when, did voice and data recorders on flights become mandatory? What did Australian airlines do in response to this?
• What opportunities were missed by the Australian government and aviation industry? What effect did this have on Warren’s invention?

The development of the black box flight recorder

Look at the objects and videos in Museums Victoria’s online collection to see the development of the flight recorder. 

• Magnetic Wire Cockpit Voice & Data Recorder, circa 1958
• Prototype Fire Testing Case, circa 1958
• Jettisonable Radio Beacon Panel, circa 1962
• Recycling Wire Recorder, Type 1190, 'Red Egg', circa 1969
• Prototype Ground Playback Equipment, 1962
• Diagram - 'Flight Memory Miniature Wire Deck', circa 1969
• Diagram - 'For Accident Investigation / For Routine Operation', ARL Flight Memory Recorder, circa 1969

Trace the changes and development of the recorder. Where were major changes made? What stayed the same or similar? How was prototyping used to develop the invention?

Investigate contemporary flight recorders, and what they take from Warren’s invention. How has the technology in black box recorders changed? What has remained constant? 

Who was Dr David Warren?

• After watching the video, and reading the article, what attributes do you see in Dr Warren that might have contributed to his success as a scientist and inventor?
• When and how was Dr Warren recognized for his achievements?
• What is his legacy?

Reflect on this quote

I guess there is a school of thought that says you shouldn’t actually monetize aviation safety in the same way that Volvo allowed their invention of the seatbelt to be used by all car manufacturers. — David Crotty, Aviation Historian

• What are your thoughts on this position?
• Can you think of safety issues that have been solved through innovation? What were those issues? What was the solution?