Originally Posted by yamahas3

99% of the talk about this new bill has been about them monitoring and using the CVR against us. No doubt this is completely scary and must be stopped.

BUT... there hasn't been much talk at all about the fact that it also allows for FDR monitoring. I think this is even more scary. The CVR stuff, yes, thats good for a lot of paranoia but airlines simply don't have the manpower to listen to every minute of every flight, or even a reasonable percentage of them. Especially not manpower skilled enough to know what should and should not be said and when. They'll use that stuff when they're targeting specific flights and already on a witch-hunt.. and they'll be successful.

FDR data on the other hand CAN be downloaded for every single flight and run through analysis software. Fly 251kts at 9999'? They'll know. Exceed stabilized airspeed criteria due to a momentary gust on approach and not go around? They'll know. Get an abnormal but momentary EICAS message that you, as the pilot decide is not an issue but not write it up? They'll know.

The point I'm trying to make is nobody flies a perfect flight. With CVR data, they'll have to spend a lot of time, effort, and money trying to show that otherwise perfect pilots aren't. With the FDR data in their hands, it'll be right there for everyone to see with a few mouse clicks. Perfect for them to start "fixing the glitch" with any pilots they want to eliminate, the FAA wants to violate, etc.