[ProAudio] Flight recorder/simulation?

[Scott Dorsey]

There are a bunch of different recorders recording different things.  You
likely don't care about any of the instrument recorders but only about the
cockpit voice recorder.

A couple decades ago the CVR recorded analogue audio on 1/4" oxide-coated
metal ribbon tape.  These days they are digital recorders, recording to 
highly ruggedized SSDs.

These days they record off the intercom system and off of three
small electret mikes in the cockpit with a total of four tracks.

If this isn't a song about a plane crash, I would suggest calling an
airline and telling them that you want your band to be able to sing a
chorus in the cockpit of an airliner and come out with a copy of the 
CVR loop.  I suspect that if someone in the airline publicity department
thinks it's cool and if you can work on their schedule and go into an
aircraft that is down for maintenance that it might be possible.
However, if the song mentions crashing, forget any assistance.

The analogue CVR will be a brightly colored box with an M-S connector
supplying 400Hz power, line level audio for the intercom, and mike level
audio.  The dominant feature of CVR recordings is 400 Hz and the 1200 Hz
harmonic leaking into everything.

The CVR is a write-only device with a tape loop.  Once the tape stops, 
it is removed and put onto a recorder on the bench in order to transcribe.
One major airline used a Tascam 40-4.  I don't know what is being used today
in the modern digital memory age.

You may find some useful information here:
https://skybrary.aero/articles/cockpit-voice-recorder-cvr
--scott