QAR's may have access to more data, but does that mean they necessarily record more data onto the PC card?
I thought the idea behind QAR's is that they could record bursts of
selected information at
selected points throughout the flight. i.e. stuff that maintenance/ops needed to know.
Of course, they can also be programmed to record additional data by unusual events (but will this be brief snapshots... or more useful continuous data?).
Does the QAR, DFDR and CVR run on the same elec (power) busses as the nose landing lights
If so, we might get some pretty good info from one of these boxes
.... Although, having said that, the AIM's system might not have been operating at 100% (considering the report that cockpit displays failed).