What is the role of the Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder (FDR/CVR) during investigations?

• A. They monitor air traffic control communications.
• B. They control autopilot functions.
• C. They record flight data and cockpit audio to support investigations and maintenance trending.
• D. They provide weather updates.

Answer: (C)

The role being tested is that these recorders provide objective evidence by capturing flight data and cockpit audio to support investigations and maintenance trending. The Flight Data Recorder logs a wide range of flight parameters—air speed, altitude, vertical speed, attitude, engine readings, control inputs, and other system statuses—creating a time-stamped record of how the aircraft behaved during the flight. The Cockpit Voice Recorder captures everything spoken and many sounds inside the cockpit, including crew conversations, radio calls heard by the crew, and audible warnings.

Together, they let investigators reconstruct what happened, verify crew actions against the aircraft’s performance, identify any malfunctions or erroneous inputs, and correlate findings with maintenance records and weather or ATC data. They’re also used for maintenance trending, analyzing data across multiple flights to spot recurring anomalies or degradation that could indicate developing issues before a failure occurs. They are not used to monitor air traffic control communications in real time, they do not control autopilot functions, and they do not provide weather updates.