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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is moving to upgrade flight recorders in order to improve the quality and quantity of accident data collection and build safer skies. The agency's proposed rule that was published on 28th February 2005, calls for 'stronger' cockpit voice and flight data recorders.

The widespread use of civil jet transports with automated cockpit control systems has made it slightly more difficult for air crash investigators to obtain information about accidents. Digital flight data recorders (DFDRs) are often the sole sources of information about crashes.

The article discusses the vital role that flight-recorder data plays in helping improve pilot training by helping them to understand how accidents took place and ways in which such accidents can be avoided. This is part of the use of evidence-based training to help provide as realistic a training as possible.

The Air Force has attributed the absence of a data flight recorder (FDR) or cockpit voice recorders on the Air Force CT-43 that crashed Apr 1996 in Croatia According to cost. According to Air Force estimates, the FDRs cost between $2 million and $3 million. A commercial aviation safety official knowledgeable of flight data recorders insists that the Air Force could have installed a $25,000 six-parameter FDR for far less than its estimates.