World: Way to recover 'black box' data faster seen by airlines in 2016

Airlines expect to agree by the end of 2016 on the best way to quickly recover data from the so called 'black boxes' on every plane that record flight information and help shed light on the causes of air disasters. The black box recorders from EgyptAir MS804 are still being sought two weeks after it disappeared over the Mediterranean enroute from Paris to Cairo with 66 people on board. Aircraft tracking has been a high priority since Malaysia Airlines MH370 disappeared over water in 2014. ICAO said in March that new aircraft needed to be equipped by 2021 with improved means of having their black boxes or data from them recovered in a timely manner. Airlines and plane manufacturers are exploring ways to meet that goal, including ejectable recorders or other technology such as new homing methods or data streaming. Ejectable or "deployable" recorders would separate from the tail during a crash and then float while emitting a distress signal. A data streaming system would create huge amounts of data for all aircraft. Gilberto Lopez Meyer, senior VP for safety and flight operations at the IATA, said Thursday the organisation would by the end of 2016 state its view on which of the possible techniques would be best.<br/>