669 

Federal Aviation Administration, DOT 

§ 29.1459 

(c) Each cockpit voice recorder must 

be installed so that the part of the 
communication or audio signals speci-
fied in paragraph (a) of this section ob-
tained from each of the following 
sources is recorded on a separate chan-
nel: 

(1) For the first channel, from each 

microphone, headset, or speaker used 
at the first pilot station. 

(2) For the second channel, from each 

microphone, headset, or speaker used 
at the second pilot station. 

(3) For the third channel, from the 

cockpit-mounted area microphone, or 
the continually energized or voice-ac-
tuated lip microphones at the first and 
second pilot stations. 

(4) For the fourth channel, from— 
(i) Each microphone, headset, or 

speaker used at the stations for the 
third and fourth crewmembers; or 

(ii) If the stations specified in para-

graph (c)(4)(i) of this section are not re-
quired or if the signal at such a station 
is picked up by another channel, each 
microphone on the flight deck that is 
used with the passenger loudspeaker 
system if its signals are not picked up 
by another channel. 

(iii) Each microphone on the flight 

deck that is used with the rotorcraft’s 
loudspeaker system if its signals are 
not picked up by another channel. 

(d) Each cockpit voice recorder must 

be installed so that— 

(1)(i) It receives its electrical power 

from the bus that provides the max-
imum reliability for operation of the 
cockpit voice 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. 

(2) There is an automatic means to 

simultaneously stop the recorder and 
prevent each erasure feature from func-
tioning, within 10 minutes after crash 
impact; 

(3) There is an aural or visual means 

for preflight checking of the recorder 
for proper operation; 

(4) 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; 
and 

(5) It has an independent power 

source— 

(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. 29–6, 35 FR 7293, May 9, 1970, as 
amended by Amdt. 29–50, 73 FR 12564, Mar. 7, 
2008; 74 FR 32800, July 9, 2009; Amdt. 29–52, 75 
FR 17045, Apr. 5, 2010] 

§ 29.1459

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 §§ 29.1323, 29.1325, and 
29.1327 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; 

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