Device for recording flight data

A device for recording flight data in an aircraft with a data recorder located in a protective metal housing having thermal insulation in an interior thereof and with connecting lines arranged between the data recorder and data sources, the device comprising:

• a hollow sphere forming said protective metal housing, said sphere having an outer diameter of about 5-8 cm adapted to fit areas of the aircraft which are exposed to minimal damage in an accident;
• wherein said hollow sphere comprises two firmly-joined hemispherical shells;
• a hole located in a wall of said hollow sphere for data lines;
• a block of casting compound filling a cavity in said sphere, said data recorder being a solid-state memory recorder embedded in said block of casting compound;
• and
• wherein said solid-state memory recorder comprises (a) a power supply providing power to the data recorder via the connecting lines, and (b) a data processing unit receiving data from the connecting lines and including a digital control unit and a data storage device coupled thereto.