<P> In order to facilitate recovery of the recorder from an aircraft accident site they are required to be coloured bright yellow or orange with reflective surfaces . All are lettered "FLIGHT RECORDER DO NOT OPEN" on one side in English and the same in French on the other side . To assist recovery from submerged sites they must be equipped with an underwater locator beacon which is automatically activated in the event of an accident . </P> <P> In the investigation of the 1960 crash of Trans Australia Airlines Flight 538 at Mackay (Queensland), the inquiry judge strongly recommended that flight recorders be installed in all (Australian) airliners . Australia became the first country in the world to make cockpit - voice recording compulsory . </P> <P> The United States' first CVR rules were passed in 1964, requiring all turbine and piston aircraft with four or more engines to have CVRs by March 1, 1967 . As of 2008 it is an FAA requirement that the CVR recording duration is a minimum of two hours, following the NTSB recommendation that it should be increased from its previously - mandated 30 - minute duration . As of 2014, the United States requires flight data recorders and cockpit voice recorders on aircraft that have 20 or more passenger seats, or those that have six or more passenger seats, are turbine - powered, and require two pilots . </P> <P> For US air carriers and manufacturers, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is responsible for investigating accidents and safety - related incidents . The NTSB also serves in an advisory role for many international investigations not under its formal jurisdiction . The NTSB does not have regulatory authority, but must depend on legislation and other government agencies to act on its safety recommendations . In addition, 49 USC Section 1114 (c) prohibits the NTSB from making the audio recordings public except by written transcript . </P>

When did black boxes get installed in planes