What is a Cockpit Voice Recorder?

THE COCKPIT Voice Recorder (CVR) records the flight crew’s voices, as well as other sounds inside the cockpit. The recorder’s ‘cockpit area microphone’ is usually located on the overhead instrument panel between the two pilots.

Sounds of interest to an investigator could be engine noise, stall warnings, landing gear extension and retraction and other clicks and pops. From these sounds, parameters such as engine rpm, system failures, speed and the time at which certain events occur can often be determined.

Communications with Air Traffic Control, automated radio weather briefings and conversation between the pilots and ground or cabin crew are also recorded. A CVR committee usually consisting of members from a country’s aviation authority, operator of the aircraft, manufacturer of the airplane and of the engines and the pilots union, is formed to listen to the recording. This committee creates a written transcript of the tape to be used during the investigation.

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