How costly would equipping older airliners with streaming tech be?

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Equipping Older Airliners With Streaming Technology Would Be Costly

Aviation experts and industry executives warn that outfitting older airliners with new electronic equipment for streaming flight recorder data would be a significant financial undertaking. The high frequency of flights and the rarity of incidents where such data is crucial make the cost-benefit analysis challenging for airlines. While the exact figures for equipping every plane globally are not precisely detailed, estimates suggest the potential expense could reach billions of dollars.
High Implementation Costs for Airlines

Implementing technology that allows for the continuous streaming of flight recorder data to a virtual "cloud" database presents substantial cost barriers for airlines. This is particularly true for older aircraft that would require retrofitting with new electronic equipment. One industry executive noted that given the vast number of daily flights, estimated at 93,000 globally, the cost associated with equipping every aircraft would be prohibitive.
Potential for Billions in Global Expenditure

The financial implications of mandating flight data streaming across the entire global fleet are considerable. Bob Benzon, a former Air Force pilot and NTSB investigator, suggested that equipping every plane in the world to stream flight data could potentially cost billions of dollars. This figure underscores the scale of investment required to upgrade existing infrastructure and aircraft to meet such a technological standard.
Rarity of Incidents as a Cost Justification Barrier

Airlines have historically argued that the infrequency of accidents or disappearances makes the added expense of streaming flight recorder data difficult to justify. The argument posits that the costs associated with current search and rescue operations, while substantial, are less than the continuous investment required for a global streaming data system. This perspective highlights the economic considerations that influence the adoption of new aviation technologies.

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