US weighs measure for crash-proof video recorders in cockpits in new aviation policy

Under sweeping bipartisan aviation legislation introduced Friday, a new eye in the sky might monitor US airline flights in the near future: crash-proof video recorders in cockpits. After years of controversy and pushback by pilot unions, House leaders from both parties have opted to require video to monitor air crews’ actions to give accident investigators greater insights after accidents. The measure is contained in a 773-page bill setting US aviation policy for the next five years. The provisions are a consensus of both the Republicans who control the House and Democrats — and both sides are eager to pass the legislation soon. If passed, the provision would mark a sea change in how accident investigators approach crashes and would likely lead other nations to follow suit. The legislation also includes broad protections that unions have sought to prohibit the release of recordings to the public and bar their use for disciplinary action by carriers. Under the bill, airlines would have seven years to install the devices on their fleets, and the Federal Aviation Administration would have three years to establish requirements for the devices. The bill would also require upgraded cockpit sound recorders, extending the time they capture from two to 25 hours. Video devices would also record 25 hours under the legislation. The US National Transportation Safety Board has long sought video evidence after repeated cases in which the existing sound and data recordings in so-called black boxes — which are encased in protective covers that are actually colored orange — weren’t sufficient to determine what happened in crashes. <br/>