Originally Posted by
ATC Watcher
ChristiaanJ
I explained data streaming (continuous down linking via Iridium satellites of aircraft parameters ) in some post in the original AF447 thread .
Details can be found at
AeroMechanical Services Ltd. - afirs Up Time
Quoting from that site:
"The afirs unit is an avionics component that resides on the aircraft. The afirs unit monitors the various systems on the aircraft, and when certain events are detected information is transmitted via Iridium satellite."
When certain events occur....... is the key.
Very much like the ACARS messages from flight AF447.
The continuous data stream into the FDR includes far, far more parameters, llike attitude (all axes), airspeed, engine parameters, control surface positions, etc., sampled every few seconds, sometimes even more often.
It's way, way beyond what could be transmitted via a satellite link, or stored and managed at the receiving end, for the tens of thousands of commercial flights in the air at any one time.
Another idea would be to have a small amount of radioactive material being released inside the recorders after a certain depth ( say 1000m or so ) enabling some military sensors to detect the anomaly and the location. Not sure of the accuracy of those sensors though. Possibly something for the future.
Same difference....
As with
djp's excellent idea, it's not in place.
And with accidents as that of AF447 being extremely rare, it's highly unlikely there will ever be any 'rule-making' about making it mandatory.
CJ