A330 Pitot Tubes

[hp_fa]

When does a flight recorder erase its data? Every flight? The storage institution would do the same.

Doesn't a FDR only record the previous 30 minutes and then continuously write over data so that only those last 30 minutes are available for review? Or am I behind the times?

 

[DHC8Driver]

The CVR over writes itself. The DFDR (flight data recorder) stores volumes of data.

 

[hp_fa]

Yeah, that's right. My brain must have been fried when I typed that.

Thanks.

 

[Squonk]

I tend to discount terrorism, i.e. a bomb, because no one has claimed credit. It would be impossible for a terrorist organization to refrain from boasting about any "victory" over their perceived oppressors. Terrorism is mostly about the publicity meant to instill fear.

An IED could be planted by someone other than a terrorist. I agree, a radical extremist would immediately claim responsibility, however somone with a vendetta against the carrier or an individual on board would not, nor would someone motivated by a big insurance policy.

 

[1Conehead]

That's probably true, but it might certainly be worthwhile to send packet updates of the primary information every 5 or 10 seconds, with a continuous stream whenever the first parameter goes outside normal.

I have not kept much of an eye on the news but one of the reports said an automatic report was sent (ACARS ?).
I have never worked AIRBUS but on BOEING/DOUGLASS ,ACARS has access to the DFDAU which should be able to send that info if programmed to do so.