Will the FAA Mandate 25-Hour Cockpit Voice Recorders for New Aircraft?

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed a significant rule change. This new proposal would standardize the cockpit voice recorder duration for all newly manufactured aircraft in the United States. The goal is to increase the minimum recording time from the current two hours to 25 hours.

This move is part of a broader effort to enhance aviation safety investigation capabilities. It would ensure accident investigators have more complete data following an incident or accident.

Background on the Proposed Rule

The FAA published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) outlining the change. The current U.S. regulation requires cockpit voice recorders (CVRs) to retain only the last two hours of audio data. After this time, the oldest information is continuously overwritten.

This two-hour limit has repeatedly hampered the National Transportation Safety Board's (NTSB) work. The NTSB reports that at least 14 investigations since 2018 were negatively impacted because CVR data was overwritten. Important audio information was lost before the device could be secured.

In response, the NTSB issued Safety Recommendation A-18-030. This recommendation urged the FAA to require the extended recording duration. The FAA's proposal directly addresses this key NTSB safety recommendation.

Alignment with Global Standards

This proposed rule brings U.S. standards in line with international aviation regulations. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) already mandate the 25-hour CVR duration.

Specifically, EASA and ICAO require 25-hour CVRs for large aircraft manufactured after January 1, 2021. These are typically aircraft with a maximum takeoff weight over 27,000 kg (about 60,000 lbs). The FAA 25-hour CVR rule would apply to all newly manufactured aircraft required to carry a CVR under existing operating rules.

Industry Impact and Challenges

Retrofitting Existing Fleets

The FAA's NPRM focuses only on newly manufactured aircraft. It does not include a requirement to retrofit the existing U.S. fleet. This omission drew criticism from the NTSB. The NTSB noted that without a retrofit mandate, critical data would still be lost for years. The service life of commercial airplanes can exceed 40 years.

However, a separate legislative action, the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, does address this. The Act requires the FAA to issue a final rule by 2027. This final rule must include a provision to retrofit existing aircraft with 25-hour CVRs by 2030. This sets a clear aircraft retrofit deadline for airlines.

Cost and Pilot Concerns

The FAA estimates the cost of upgrading to a 25-hour CVR on a new aircraft to be up to approximately $4,500 per unit. This is considered a minimal increase for a significant safety benefit.

Pilot groups, such as the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), support the longer recording time for investigative purposes. However, they emphasize the need for pilot data protection. ALPA has called for guaranteed protections to ensure CVR recordings are not misused. Specifically, they want to prevent the use of this data for administrative or disciplinary proceedings against flight crews.

• The FAA 25-hour CVR rule is a direct response to NTSB concerns over lost data.
• The new CVRs will use solid-state memory, which is more resistant to shock and can include a battery backup.
• The extended duration is essential for long-haul flights and incidents that occur hours before the final landing.
• This regulatory change is a major step toward global harmonization of international aviation regulations.

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