The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau of India (AAIB) shared the audio of conversation between Air India pilots in cockpit in an interim report exactly one month after the Air India crash. The report has raised many questions and led to a strong demand for video recorders in cockpits. People believe that video footage would give clearer answers about what really happened.

Many in India and around the world are wondering why planes, which have advanced technology, do not have cameras to record pilots' actions in important moments. It might be a bit difficult to add cameras to old planes because of their existing wiring and design, as most planes are about 10 years old. However, it would not be hard to include cameras in new aircraft. In fact, the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) had suggested installing cockpit video recorders almost 25 years ago.

After the Air India crash in Ahmedabad that killed 260 people, many people in India and around the world are asking: If cars and trucks can have cameras, why can’t airplanes have them too?

Why there are no cameras in cockpit

The main reason planes still don’t have cockpit video cameras is because of pilots. Pilots believe that having cameras in the cockpit would invade their privacy. In stressful situations, pilots sometimes act or talk freely, and they feel a camera would make them too conscious. Pilots also worry that junior pilots might stop questioning or discussing with seniors if they know they are being recorded all the time.

Another big fear among pilots is that airlines might use these cameras to secretly watch or control them. Pilots also worry that videos from a crash could get leaked to the public, like how audio from flight recorders has been leaked before. Such videos could be very painful and traumatic for the families of crash victims.

Black boxes are very important in plane crash investigations. They are strong enough to survive crashes and painted orange so they can be easily found.

There are two types:

  • Flight data recorder: Records technical details like speed and altitude.

  • Cockpit voice recorder: Records pilot conversations and sounds in the cockpit.

In the Air India Boeing 787-8 crash, both black boxes were found and sent to Delhi. The data was fully checked by June 26, and a report was released on July 12.

The report shared pilot conversations before the crash, which led to many questions and theories. Some people even blamed the pilots. The pilots’ group said this was unfair and might take legal action.

Experts say listening to audio alone is not enough to understand what really happened. A video recorder in the cockpit could show clearly what the pilots were doing and help avoid false blame.

The idea of cockpit cameras is not new. The US suggested them in 1989. But many pilots don’t agree with cameras because they feel it invades their privacy, could be misunderstood, or be used against them. They also worry about videos being leaked and hurting victims' families.

After the Air India crash, many people in India and abroad started asking why there are no cameras in cockpits when even school buses have them.

In China, new planes may soon have cockpit cameras. Some helicopters already use them for safety and training. Even though there is strong demand now, pilot unions still oppose the idea. But many believe that one day cockpit cameras will be installed, just like voice recorders, to improve safety and avoid unnecessary blame.

Most of this opposition to cockpit cameras comes from pilot unions in the US. These unions are strong and have a big influence because there are so many pilots and such a large aviation industry there. Pilots also say that in emergencies, they sometimes have to make quick decisions that might not follow every rule exactly. If there’s a camera, they fear they’ll always feel watched and might hesitate to act freely. In the end, the debate about cockpit video cameras is really about choosing between privacy for pilots and safety for everyone.