Why aren’t airplanes made of the same material as black boxes?

Ana sayfa / News

We have all come across an airplane crash news at least once in our lives. Many of these news reports include the phrase “according to the information obtained from the airplane’s black box.” As we know, black boxes have been retrieved intact from many airplane accidents. So why don’t we make airplanes with the same material as these boxes? Here is the answer to your question about the black box…

Wouldn’t it solve any problems if we make airplanes with the same materials as black boxes?

This question has surely crossed the minds of many people at least once. After all, black boxes are very sturdy, and it could be a practical solution to make airplanes with the materials used in these devices for airplane accidents. In theory, this idea might seem acceptable. However, this thought completely puts forward an invalid idea.

First of all, let’s talk a little about what a black box is. Black boxes are not actually black in color, as their name suggests. They are orange-red boxes located in the cockpits of airplanes. Their distinctive color allows them to be easily noticed after an accident.

Inside the box, there are receivers wrapped in impact-absorbing protective layers. These receivers record sound and information. They record real-time data from the aircraft’s computer systems and also capture everything spoken inside the cockpit.

After ensuring the safety of the passengers and crew inside after an airplane crash, black boxes are primarily sought-after pieces of evidence. The receiver inside an orange box actually provides information about why the aircraft crashed. This helps determine whether the accident occurred due to pilot error, flight director error, air traffic control error, or any problem related to the aircraft. This speeds up the subsequent stages for the aviation industry.

Now let’s come to the question of why airplanes are not made of such a sturdy material that is already known. The answer is actually quite simple: “Cost.” Firstly, the titanium or steel cast blocks used to make the black box are quite heavy. Considering the weight of an aircraft produced with these materials, it would be unable to fly or the size of the engines required to fly such an aircraft would lead to the cost of jet fuel. In short, cost-related factors provide a negative answer to your question.