Lufthansa Technik and HENSOLDT take the “black box” to an all new level

Lufthansa Technik and HENSOLDT take the “black box” to an all new leve
10/08/2025 · Taufkirchen, Germany

  • Fit for the future: Cockpit voice and flight data recording for well over 25 hours time
  • Data extraction possible “on-wing” – without removing the devices
  • Higher reliability and significantly extended maintenance intervals

Lufthansa Technik and HENSOLDT have jointly launched a new generation of onboard recording devices for the Airbus A320 family, which offer significant improvements over previous cockpit voice and flight data recorders (CVR/FDR). With the corresponding retrofit solution, airlines are not only well equipped for much stricter future regulations regarding recording times, but they can also read out the stored data without removing the respective devices. In addition, their maintenance operations benefit from significantly increased reliability and thus significantly extended replacement intervals.

Lufthansa Technik and HENSOLDT take the “black box” to an all new level

Stricter legal requirements in the USA mandate that commercial aircraft there must ensure much longer data storage in the future, and not just for flight parameters (FDR), but also for cockpit voice recordings (CVR): Instead of two hours as in the past, both units of the so-called “black boxes” – which are actually painted bright orange – must now store their recorded data for a period of at least 25 hours before they can be overwritten. This new requirement applies in particular to the CVR and was decided as part of the FAA Reauthorization Act 2024. Aircraft in the US currently equipped with old recording technology must also be retrofitted to the new standard by 2030 at the latest. Authorities in other regions of the world could soon follow suit.

These new requirements are precisely the aim of a new generation of flight data recorders in the SferiRec series, manufactured by HENSOLDT and distributed exclusively by Lufthansa Technik. They not only meet the stricter regulatory requirements, they far exceed them. While the new CVR stores up to 45 hours of cockpit conversations and up to 170 hours of so-called datalink recordings (text-based messages between the aircraft and the ground), the new FDR even has a capacity of up to 1,600 hours. HENSOLDT has almost 40 years of experience in the field of flight data recorders, especially for military applications.

Another major advantage of the new generation is that the recorders can remain permanently installed in and connected to the aircraft for the stored data to be read out. This is made possible by a special “On-wing Readout Kit,” whose software can be installed on a standard laptop computer, requires no additional hardware, and is available for extracting both the FDR and the CVR data. Especially in times of limited maintenance capacities or scarce stocks of replacement recorders, such an “on-wing readout” can significantly reduce maintenance costs while complying with all operational and regulatory standards. With a significantly higher mean time between failures (MTBF), the number of unscheduled removals and the associated use of OEM-bound services is also significantly reduced compared to the current generation.

With its EASA Part 21J-certified design organization, Lufthansa Technik develops customized yet flexible retrofit solutions that allow HENSOLDT's advanced recorder technology to be seamlessly integrated. As a true “plug & play” solution, the new devices can thus provide a “one-to-one” replacement for all previous A320 family recorder solutions with separate CVR/FDR. A certification for other Airbus and Boeing aircraft types is also being sought. Lufthansa Technik's global network is available to provide comprehensive technical support around the clock.

Press contact

Alexander Ogger

Alexander F. Ogger

Communications Manager Multi-Domain Solutions, Optronics

Our company

HENSOLDT is a leading company in the European defence industry with a global reach. Based in Taufkirchen near Munich, the company develops sensor solutions for defence and security applications. As a system integrator, HENSOLDT offers platform-independent, networked sensors. At the same time, the company is driving forward the development of defence electronics and optronics as a technology leader and investing in new solutions based on software-defined defence.

In addition, the company is expanding its range of offers to include new service models and is extending its portfolio of system solutions. In 2024, HENSOLDT achieved a turnover of 2.24 billion euros. Following the acquisition of ESG GmbH, the company employs around 9,000 people. HENSOLDT is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange in the MDAX.

About Lufthansa Technik

The Lufthansa Technik Group is one of the leading providers of technical aircraft services in the world. Certified internationally as maintenance, production and design organization, the company employs more than 22,000 people in dozens of locations around the globe. Lufthansa Technik offers the full range of services for commercial, VIP and special mission aircraft. The portfolio includes maintenance, repair, overhaul and modification of airframes, engines, components and landing gears, as well as the manufacture of innovative cabin products and digital fleet support.

Press contact Lufthansa Technik

Michael Lagemann
Tel.: +49 (0)151-5892-6557
michael.lagemann@lht.dlh.de

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