Originally Posted by
whirledtraveler
I don't agree at all. It's not the cost of the technology, it's the cost of the process of changing it. Once something like the "black box" is in use, it seldom changes unless there is a compelling need. To change it, you have to have meetings, studies, vendor contracts, more studies, more meetings, notices, hearings, training on replacement, etc.
Except that even fully computerized aircraft design which was built with satellite telemetry uplinks still retain the black box because there's still valuable data being recorded down the the last minutes when there's no possibility of transmitting that data.