The history of aeronautics is marked by serious accidents that have often resulted in changes in airplanes. You can quote the oxen with rounded corners, flight recorders (black boxes) or even access the doors to the safe cabin.
The Air India Air Boeing Crash (260 dead) again opens the debate on the presence of cameras in the cabins to monitor the actions of the pilots. In fact, the preliminary report of the country’s authorities stipulates that the feed switches of gasoline engines had passed in off mode (closed) just after takeoff. However, three manual actions are needed to carry out this operation, which excludes the thesis of accidental unlocking.
Obviously, a “black video box” would validate or invalidate the thesis of an intentional act of one of the pilots. Willie Walsh, managing director of the International Association of Air Transport (IATA), therefore, believes that there is a “serious arguments” so that regulations force airlines to install cameras in the cabins.
“In view of how little we know today, it is very possible that a video recording, in addition to the vocal recording, is to say a precious help for researchers,” he said in an interview with the Singapureninos media about the flight accident AI171 Air India.
“Serious arguments”
The idea is not new. Already in 2000, Jim Hall, president of the National Transportation Security Board (NTSB) of the United States, urged the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to demand that line aircraft be equipped with video recorders after the accident of the 990 flight of Egyptair, which would have been a deliberate act.
Manufacturers, Boeing and Airbus, even develop in plate technologies capable of transmitting more data and images in real time.
But this proposal presents a historical opposition and in block of the pilots and their unions, highlighting questions about confidentiality and possible surveillance abuses. It should be said that, according to specialists in the sector, pilots sometimes take some freedoms with regulations, taking passengers to the cabin, smoking …
Confidentiality questions and possible abuse
“If there is a non -recovery data guarantee, apart from accidents, it is a solution that unions could accept,” Xavier Tytelman, aeronautical consultant.
However, pilot unions remain as skeptical, as are companies: the installation of these devices requires significant modifications in the plans, which requires their immobilization and, therefore, very significant costs.
The fact is that the presence of cameras on board has already demonstrated its relevance, especially in the case of serious helicopter accidents.
In 2023 in Australia, a Robinson R66 disintegrated in flight, killing the pilot, the only person on board. According to the final report of the Australian Transportation Security Office, which is based on the images captured from the cabin, “the pilot was occupied with tasks not linked to theft during a large part of this period, in particular the use of his mobile phone and the consumption of food and beverages.” Without this camera, the mystery would surely have remained complete.
Source: BFM TV
