92/297 Flight recorder, sectioned, invented by Dr David Warren in Australia /manufactured by S Davall & Sons Ltd, England, 1960 - 1965

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Sectioned 'Red Egg' flight recorder, 1960

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Statement of significance

The flight recorder is an Australian innovation that has had significant impact on safety in the Australian and international aviation industry. David Warren invented the recordable device that could be made to withstand the impact of an aircraft crash. The recorded in-flight data can be analysed to gain insight into the cause of an air crash and as a tool in the prevention of repeated aviation disasters. Flight recorders are now mandatory in every commercial plane in the world and are invaluable in determining the causes of aircraft crashes.

Although no Australian manufacturer made flight recorders, David Warren was heavily involved in advising on their production overseas. The Australian government was the first in the world to make the use of flight recorders mandatory.

This device, sectioned to demonstrate flight recorder functions, was used as an educational tool by its UK manufacturer, Davall. "Red eggs" such as this were the prototypes for later flight recorders.

Reference
Jeremy Sear's Honours thesis, University of Melbourne, 2001, available at http://jeremy.110mb.com/blackbox.htm#_Toc528554241

Production notes

In 1953, David Warren, a chemist, joined an Australian team investigating a series of Comet jet airliner crashes. He had the idea to build a machine that recorded the voices in the cockpit as well as data from flight instruments. If the machine could survive a crash, it could play back the final moments of a flight to help discover what went wrong.

Warren, assisted by Ken Fraser, Lane Sear and Wally Boswell, designed a prototype at the Australian Aeronautical Research Laboratories in Melbourne, using a Minifon wire recorder inside a thick asbestos box. Short-sighted management and Australian authorities dismissed Warren's idea as unnecessary.

Warren was invited by the UK firm Davall & Sons to help them develop and market the invention after Australians refused to take interest. Warren's only financial reward was a trip to England to accompany the prototype. His consolation is that he helped make flying a safer way to travel.

Black Box recorders (which are actually bright orange so they're easy to find after a crash) were manufactured in the UK and USA from 1960 onwards.

Every commercial plane in the world now carries a flight recorder.

History notes

Davall was taken over by W Vinten Ltd, a company that made aerial reconnaissance equipment, in 1984. The flight recorder was donated to the Museum by Vinten in 1992.

This text content licensed under CC BY-NC.

Description

Flight recorder, sectioned, invented by Dr David Warren in Australia, manufactured by S Davall & Sons Ltd, England, 1960 - 1965.
Metal base acting as cradle for circular bright red/ orange metal flight recorder. Held in place by black metal/ plastic strapping. One side sectioned to reveal works. Marked on plaque: "DAVALL/ RECYCLING RECORDER/ serial no 133/ S DAVALL & SONS LTD GREENFORD/ MIDDLESEX, ENGLAND/ WEIGHT 15 lbs 8 ozs/ voltage 115 - 400 hz wattage 6/ voltage 28DC/ wattage 3/ PATENTS APPLIED FOR/"

Designed: Warren, David Dr; Melbourne, Victoria; 1960

Marks

Near the top of one side: arrows pointing in opposite directions, one labelled "BRAKE ON / TRANSIT" and the other "BRAKE OFF / RECORD"

Registration number

92/297

Production date

1960

Height

230 mm

Width

225 mm

Depth

230 mm

This text content licensed under CC BY-SA.

Acquisition credit line

Gift of W Vinten Limited, 1992

Short persistent URL

Concise link back to this object: http://from.ph/126824

Cite this object in Wikipedia

Copy and paste this wiki-markup:

{{cite web |url=http://from.ph/126824 |title=Sectioned 'Red Egg' flight recorder |author=Powerhouse Museum |accessdate=19 May 2012 |publisher=Powerhouse Museum, Australia}}

Images on this site are reproduced for the purposes of research and study only. Whilst every effort has been made to trace the Copyright holders, we would be grateful for any information concerning Copyright of the images and we will withdraw them immediately on Copyright holder's request.

Object viewed 3138 times. Parent IRN: 2120. Master IRN: 2120 Img: 144729 Flv: H:2360px W:1940px SMO:0 RIGHTS: .