L-3 Aviation Recorders, a division of L-3 Communications, has been selected as the supplier of the flight recording system for the Airbus A350 XWB. Under the contract signed with Airbus, L-3 will provide cockpit voice recorders, flight data recorders and accelerometers for the A350 XWB.

"This significant win demonstrates the confidence that Airbus has in L-3 as well as their unwavering commitment to equip its aircraft with the best recording technology possible," says Bruce Coffey, president of the Aviation Recorders Division.

The recording system being provided for the A350 XWB was developed from the L-3 recording system that is installed in the A380. As with the previously certified A380 recording system, the new A350 XWB system meets the recently introduced FAA regulations.

L-3 introduced its first commercial solid-state flight data recorder in 1989 and has been one of the aerospace industry's largest manufacturer of flight recorders for almost 20 years. L-3 recorders, better known as "black boxes", promote safety by providing accident investigators with reliable aircraft information from the time preceding an accident. The crash protected flight recorders capture specific aircraft performance parameters such as altitude, acceleration, engine data, flight control surfaces and air speed. L-3 recorders undergo the most strenuous survival testing in the worst of conditions and have displayed the highest survival rate in the industry. Product testing includes crash impact, static crush, pierce and fire test.