Watch CBS News

'Curious' Why Black Boxes Don't Have Floatation

'Curious' Why Black Boxes Don't Have FloatationGetty Images

The difficult search for the Air France plane's black box raised a question on WBZ's curiosity page.

Nancy from Andover asked: "Why do airplanes' black boxes not have flotation devices that would deploy automatically?"

WBZ learned that this summer, several federal agencies are going to test technology that would allow black boxes to float if the plane crashes into the ocean.

The box would be a back-up system and would eject from the plane. A military version is reportedly already in use.

© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.