558 

14 CFR Ch. I (1–1–19 Edition) 

§ 27.1459 

(i) That provides 10 

±

1 minutes of 

electrical power to operate both the 
cockpit voice recorder and cockpit- 
mounted area microphone; 

(ii) That is located as close as prac-

ticable to the cockpit voice recorder; 
and 

(iii) To which the cockpit voice re-

corder and cockpit-mounted area 
microphone are switched automati-
cally in the event that all other power 
to the cockpit voice recorder is inter-
rupted either by normal shutdown or 
by any other loss of power to the elec-
trical power bus. 

(e) The record container must be lo-

cated and mounted to minimize the 
probability of rupture of the container 
as a result of crash impact and con-
sequent heat damage to the record 
from fire. 

(f) If the cockpit voice recorder has a 

bulk erasure device, the installation 
must be designed to minimize the prob-
ability of inadvertent operation and ac-
tuation of the device during crash im-
pact. 

(g) Each recorder container must be 

either bright orange or bright yellow. 

(h) When both a cockpit voice re-

corder and a flight data recorder are 
required by the operating rules, one 
combination unit may be installed, 
provided that all other requirements of 
this section and the requirements for 
flight data recorders under this part 
are met. 

[Amdt. 27–22, 53 FR 26144, July 11, 1988, as 
amended by Amdt. 27–43, 73 FR 12563, Mar. 7, 
2008; 74 FR 32800, July 9, 2009; Amdt. 27–45, 75 
FR 17045, Apr. 5, 2010] 

§ 27.1459

Flight data recorders. 

(a) Each flight recorder required by 

the operating rules of Subchapter G of 
this chapter must be installed so that: 

(1) It is supplied with airspeed, alti-

tude, and directional data obtained 
from sources that meet the accuracy 
requirements of §§ 27.1323, 27.1325, and 
27.1327 of this part, as applicable; 

(2) The vertical acceleration sensor is 

rigidly attached, and located longitu-
dinally within the approved center of 
gravity limits of the rotorcraft; 

(3)(i) It receives its electrical power 

from the bus that provides the max-
imum reliability for operation of the 
flight data recorder without jeopard-

izing service to essential or emergency 
loads. 

(ii) It remains powered for as long as 

possible without jeopardizing emer-
gency operation of the rotorcraft. 

(4) There is an aural or visual means 

for preflight checking of the recorder 
for proper recording of data in the stor-
age medium; 

(5) Except for recorders powered sole-

ly by the engine-driven electrical gen-
erator system, there is an automatic 
means to simultaneously stop a re-
corder that has a data erasure feature 
and prevent each erasure feature from 
functioning, within 10 minutes after 
any crash impact; and 

(6) Whether the cockpit voice re-

corder and digital flight data recorder 
are installed in separate boxes or in a 
combination unit, no single electrical 
failure external to the recorder may 
disable both the cockpit voice recorder 
and the digital flight data recorder. 

(b) Each nonejectable recorder con-

tainer must be located and mounted so 
as to minimize the probability of con-
tainer rupture resulting from crash im-
pact and subsequent damage to the 
record from fire. 

(c) A correlation must be established 

between the flight recorder readings of 
airspeed, altitude, and heading and the 
corresponding readings (taking into ac-
count correction factors) of the first pi-
lot’s instruments. This correlation 
must cover the airspeed range over 
which the aircraft is to be operated, 
the range of altitude to which the air-
craft is limited, and 360 degrees of 
heading. Correlation may be estab-
lished on the ground as appropriate. 

(d) Each recorder container must: 
(1) Be either bright orange or bright 

yellow; 

(2) Have a reflective tape affixed to 

its external surface to facilitate its lo-
cation under water; and 

(3) Have an underwater locating de-

vice, when required by the operating 
rules of this chapter, on or adjacent to 
the container which is secured in such 
a manner that they are not likely to be 
separated during crash impact. 

(e) When both a cockpit voice re-

corder and a flight data recorder are 
required by the operating rules, one 
combination unit may be installed, 
provided that all other requirements of 

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