Gold Honoree - 2024 MAE Innovators Awards

Recorders are built to meet the latest regulations and often designed with any upcoming changes in mind. To ensure they meet the requirements of new and old aircraft, some modifications may be required, or additional data formatting hardware used. Curtiss-Wright has been manufacturing flight recorders since 1957, introducing the world’s first RTCA-DO178 approved solid-state recorders and the first to certify a 25-hour, ICAO Class 6 CVR.

Fortress CSR provides flight data recording for 25 hours minimum capacity that supports all ICAO/EUROCAE defined flight data recorder types and cockpit voice recording capability with a record capacity of 25 hours minimum, supporting EUROCAE Class 6 Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) requirements. Each of the 4 audio input channels provide the performance typically only associated with the high bandwidth quality, cockpit area microphone channel thus providing greater clarity on replay.

Flight data recording utilizes an internal data acquisition module for direct connection to aircraft sensors and systems. Inputs include 64 discrete, 6 accelerometer, 2 tachometer, 12 DC differential analog, 15 AC/DC analog, and 8 ARINC 429 inputs. The Fortress CSR’s ‘record all’ functionality means that there is no need for installation-specific parameter acquisition configurations for data capture from the ARINC 429 busses, creating a future-proof, scalable solution, where every data sample is recorded providing greater data fidelity giving a true picture of aircraft performance.

Data recovery from crash-protected memory is via a 100Mb Ethernet interface directly to PC or laptop using a web browser, or download and replay analysis software, eliminating the need for dedicated portable download equipment.

The Fortress CSR implements an integrated data access recorder interface on its front panel. Through an integral SD card interface, flight data is written in parallel to the protected media. In excess of 200 hours data recording capacity is available before the card is filled or requires exchanging for a replacement. The Fortress CSR also has configurable start/stop conditions, and an over-g calculation/warning system.

Fortress CSR is designed in accordance with RTCA/DO-178C and RTCA/DO-254, Design Assurance Level D. It meets all USAF AFPAM 63.129, FAA, and EUROCAE ED-112A requirements and has a 90-day Ultrasonic Locator Beacon (ULB), certified to TSO-C121b, which is fitted as standard.

Fortress CSR is designed to install into existing aircraft ARINC 404A equipment trays offering a simple upgrade path from current integrated acquisition recorder system installations, or those including 2-hour cockpit voice recorders, easily integrating with other system components.

Fortress CSR is supported by a cockpit area microphone and PGS download, replay, analysis, and visualization software suite.