Regulatory Update Enhances Safety Data For Large Aircraft

The Federal Aviation Administration has published a final rule requiring new large aircraft in the United States to be equipped with cockpit voice recorders capable of storing at least 25 hours of audio. This expansion from the previous two-hour standard aims to give investigators more complete data following accidents and serious incidents. The rule applies to aircraft manufactured after May 16, 2025, and covers a wide range of business jets and larger turbine aircraft. The National Business Aviation Association supports the FAA’s approach, citing the benefits of improved safety insights without the significant cost burden of a retrofit mandate. The move was first reported by AeroTime.