Why is sat - inflight data backup not used ?
With Airasia, again FDR's must be searched at the bottom of the seas. (MH307- AF447) - these operations cost millions. The techniques of FDR are 50 years old and outdated. Today all cruise ships use high speed internet at middle of the oceans(for leisure) - hunters use satellite com at the artic or in the jungles.
Millions of Apple clients worldwide, can use Apple cloud backup... but for the safety of airliners, these techniques are too expensive ??
At the year 2015 I do not take such excuses; it cannot be expensive to backup for ex. the last 30 mins of flight data and comms via low orbit satcom satellites, not even for the 12000 airliners simultaneously in our skies each moment. As a pilot and IT engineer I am convinced that other reasons are blocking these solutions... I think most aircraft manufacturers do not like systems capable to increase proof of technical malfunctions...
(Boeing AHM systems are not relevant here)